Hunger is Never First
by Jokerfest
Summary: FINISHED! Sylar wasn't always who he was now,once upon a time he was only Gabriel Gray,and someone already thought he was special the way he was,her name was Tehya, and she had a secret all her own. Sylar/OC
1. Meet Me at the Playground

Tehya Harper was an inquisitive child, one open to new experiences, and one that despite all warnings went charging head first into everything she did. Try as her parents might, there was no stifling a will such as hers. So it was with arguments, name calling, and thrown objects that they finally managed to get Tehya to move to a small house in Brooklyn, New York.

She hated it.

She had grown up in the country, a place where she was constantly surrounded by the brushing sounds of wheat. The sun was a constant sphere that seemed to be shining only for her. Her world had tall oak trees that she could climb. Her world seemed to stretch on forever, and always she could feel that constant beating of life. She felt it in every plant, every animal, and every tree, even her mother and father, the same energy. Brooklyn, she noted, at the tender age of ten held no brooks whatsoever, it was a lie. There was nothing but dirty streets, dirty buildings, and people who offered nothing but cold and dirty looks. She was cut off from all the trees, and the ones that she could feel gave off such despairing waves of fear and self-loathing, that it was all she could do not to cry every time she passed one. Being in New York she felt as if she were cut off from everything and there was not one friend to her at all. Her neighbors were strange people;ones who would much rather peer at her from their blinds than say hello to her. She would wave sometimes as she walked by, but the boy she noticed was either nervous or hated her, and would walk away from the window.

She hated it here.

School was not the same either. Her favorite teacher Miss Samson was not here. Her sweet country drawl, and her beautiful blond hair and open eyes, were not there to teach and to guide her. Instead, a large hulkish man named Mr. Nelson replaced her. He spit when he talked, he yelled at the students when they didn't get answers right. He was cold and distant, and his eyes were a watery blue. His life force spoke of dirty secrets, dirty basement rooms, where he paid for nasty things with women. She was afraid of him.

After one of Mr. Nelson's so called lessons she trampled off to recess where she would sometimes see the little boy who was her neighbor. He was lanky, and had an angular face. He seemed to fit almost awkwardly in his body, but it seemed that way only because parts of him seemed to be growing taller, but his face was still boyish and soft. His eyebrows were thick and constantly seemed to be constantly fixed in a position that made him look sad and lost. Tehya noted that he had the most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen, but they were filled with fear and hurt. She knew just from his body language and his face that he was almost always in a state of constant terror, that he always treaded lightly, and that he shriveled at the first sign of danger.

She was not the only one who sensed this because she noticed that there was a group of children that hung near the edge of the playground that were looking at him. The leader appeared to be one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen. She was almost elfish in build and had long blonde hair, blue eyes, which were dusted with lovely black lashes, and below them cute pinkish lips that appeared to always be on the verge of pouting.

Tehya noted that her energy was crackling with malice towards her neighbor's pale and timid energy. The elf nodded to her cronies, three large boys, whose ogrish figures, coupled with their hate-filled energy almost made her hair rise. The group trudged over to the lone boy, and as he saw this he made a move to run away. The boys were far too fast, and the elfish girl smirked as they cornered him at the edge of the playground, away from the watchful eyes of the playground monitor. Tehya walked slowly behind them.

"Hey Gabe, what's good man," the largest boy said as he slapped the boy with a not so friendly palm over the back.

"N-nothing, nothing, Taylor. I was just staying here not playing like you guys told me to do."

"Really," the elfish girl said as she stepped forward, "well it doesn't look that way to me Gabriel."

She wore a light brown skirt with a white blouse accompanied by polished buckled shoes. "Lick the ground Gabriel and I'll forgive you for being stupid and ugly."

Tehya saw as Gabriel squirmed in his secondhand clothes; his eyes pricking with unshed tears. She knew that it hurt inside to have to deal with these jerks, and so despite the fact that she didn't know him at all she strutted in front of him staring at the elfin girl and her cronies.

"You guys back off!"

"Hey who are you," one of the boys said.

"My name is Tehya and Gabriel here is my friend now, and you guys can't pick on him!"

The elfin girl stepped up to Tehya until they were nose to nose.

"Well, my friends will break you like a cheap toy, isn't that right boys," she said jerking her blonde head in their direction.

They nodded in unison and knew that it was time to teach the new girl a lesson. Tehya knew that in a fair fight there was no way that she could beat them, but she smirked because she knew that she had no intention of fighting fair. She saw that their energy was moving sporadically, practically itching to fight. She reached out her hand and touched the pulsing energies in her hand. The boys froze suddenly their mouths agape. Tehya knew that if she did not let go the boys could suffer serious physical damage, but still the feeling of taking energy of humans…

It _felt _**good.**

It wasn't until after a few moments that she realized she should let go, and with a shuddering breath she released their energy. They all collapsed on the floor, eyes bloodshot, chests heaving, and then Tehya turned to the girl, "Your friends are sick. I think you should take them to the nurse's office." The young elfish girl scowled at Tehya and then ran to the school monitor. It seemed that Tehya now had an enemy and-

"You didn't ha-have to help me you know."

"Yeah, I did. They were picking on you."

"They always do I'm used to it."

Tehya looked carefully at the awkward boy noticing how immaculate he kept his second hand clothes, how she shifted from foot to foot, how he couldn't look her in the eye, but instead chose to look at the pavement. Without thinking she touched his face turning him to look at her. "You don't have to do that anymore. I'm watching over you Gabriel." He smiled nervously, "Thanks, Tehya."


	2. A Mother's Love

He was in love

He was in love. It was that simple, but when you're ten years old there's not much you can do to show affection. On top of that he wasn't even sure she would like him like that. Accompanying her home he realized that he couldn't stop looking at her. She was taller than he was, and the way she walked, so sure of herself, he loved that. Her hair was a deep black with brown and red strands intertwined that glinted in the light. Her skin was an even chocolate brown, but those were not what made her the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She looked back and her eyes caught the sun just right. They were an emerald color and they seemed to glow with happiness and stubbornness he was sure no other person in the world had. "What," she asked her lips turning into a joking pout.

"Nothing, I was just-. Do you want to play at my house for a little while?"

"Really? That's cool, but I need to ask my parents first. I can't wait to tell them I made a friend at school! Do you wanna meet them, they're really cool. They'll love you!"

"You think so, I mean, I'm not that special or anything."

"Don't say that Gabriel! They'll love you, now come on!"

She grabbed his hand and he suddenly felt as if his heart had leapt into his chest. She began racing to her house her converses slapping quickly against the pavement. She stopped nearly breathless at her front door, and eagerly began banging the door handle. "Come on ma," she said dancing from foot to foot.

The door suddenly opened and Gabriel saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, he gulped audibly. She was almost the spitting image of Tehya. She was a willowy woman and she had the same look in her brown eyes that Tehya usually had. "Heya, Tehya how was school," she said grabbing her in a hug and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. "It was great mom and I made a friend!" Gabriel flinched slightly but managed a wave and a weak smile. She just seemed so unlike _his_ mother that it took him awhile to get his bearings. Finally he managed to introduce himself, "Hi Mrs. Umm- umm-"

Tehya giggled softly and slung her arms around Gabriel. "See this lady here Gabriel, this is my mother, but you can call her Mrs. Harper if you want."

"Mrs. Harper," he murmured to himself softly.

"Mom is it okay if I go play over at Gabriel's house. He's right next door, so it's okay, right**?" **Gabriel noticed that Tehya's mother eyes were crinkling at the corners, that inside she was smiling. "But Tehya I thought you hated New York."

"Aww mom, come on."

"On one condition."

"Yeah?"

"I get a full ten seconds. Ten seconds to tickle you into submission and Gabriel here can count."

"Deal," Tehya said sticking out her small hand. They shook firmly. Tehya's mother scooped her into her arms and started tickling her madly. They both laughed loudly until tears came to their eyes. Gabriel so was so caught up with their happiness he forgot to count, and soon Tehya's mother was tickling him too. He started laughing too and it was strange because he could never remember a moment when he had ever had this much fun or laughed this loudly. Finally after about a minute more all three of them just lay there in the house. "Well," Tehya's mother said finally sitting up," that concludes our agreement you two have fun."

"Thanks ma," Tehya said giving her mother a hug and kiss goodbye," I'll be home around five okay."

"I'll see you then sweetheart."

"Come on," Tehya said finally grabbing his hand again as they raced to his home. Inwardly he smiled because he knew that he could look forward to her grabbing his hand often.


	3. Author's Note

OMG Being that this is my first fanfic I forgot to mention that none of the Heroes characters are mine! NBC or whomever has sole control over their doings and whatnot. I'm just a star eyed fan who wants Sylar chained to nice king-sized mattress, nothing more. Anyway read on my friends and don't forget to review!


	4. Special to Me

NO I do not own the sexy and lovable Gabriel/Sylar man or his nutzo freako mother. I just own Tehya and her mother. However if I were given the opportunity I would so chain that man to a wall and…well yeah anyway they belong to NBC or Tim Kring and blah.

Cold. An uninterrupted stream of winter hit Tehya's face as she entered the Gabriel's house. It was similar to her house in the sense that same builders put it together, but the feeling of warmth and love that she received in her home did not seem to exist here. When Gabriel opened the door she could see that the laughter and joy he had felt early was quickly dissipating. This place brought his more nervous persona. She wondered briefly why that was. After all, shouldn't coming home bring on feelings of safety and relief? Was coming home so terrible for him?

It was Gabriel's mother that had opened the door. Tehya could feel a stringy resilient energy in his mother. It moved about in steady waves, it was frantic and erratic, and it almost made Tehya's head hurt trying to keep track of it. Immediately upon seeing Gabriel his mother snatched him into her arms as if he had been gone for years and she was just now finding him again. After the awkward embrace she held him at arm's length looking him over as if he were guilty of some crime. Tehya watched all this with fascination.

"It's okay mom. I'm fine," Gabriel said resting his hand on her arm.

"You scared me half to death! God be praised! I didn't see you, I was worried Gabriel! Don't you do that to me again, you understand," his mother said shaking him harshly. Gabriel nodded dumbly, tears coming to his eyes, but he blinked them away furiously. "Yes, mom. I won't do it again."

Finally her watery hazel eyes settled on Tehya. Tehya flinched at the unwavering energy of irritation coming from her. "Can you explain to me why my son is late?"

"I'm really sorry. I just wanted him to-"

"What you wanted," she snapped," Gabriel is **my** son!"

"Mom, please she was just asking her mother permission to come to my house. We came straight here after! Look at the clock mom it's only been ten minutes since we got off the bus!"

Tehya was once again held under the iron gaze of Gabriel's mother. Gulping slowly she stuck her hand out. "I'm really sorry. Please, my name is Tehya Harper, I'm your new neighbor, 'cross the street."

Virginia looked in obvious distaste at Tehya's hand. Tehya took it back, close to her chest as if burned, and then looked to Gabriel.

"Maybe…maybe I should go."

She edged away from the door and ran across the street to her home, tears sparkling in her eyes.

Gabriel watched with sorrow as Tehya ran back to her house. Even before he had come here he had been afraid something like this would happen, but he never imagined his mother would do that. He didn't want to be angry at his mother, but he still was. Tehya was the only friend he had ever brought to his house. In fact, at this point in time she was his only friend. God said to obey one's parents, but his mother and father made it so hard. He wanted to be the perfect son, but no matter what he did it seemed that there was always something wrong with what he did.

"Mom why did you do that!?"

"Do what?"

He shrugged out of her grasp and backed away. "Mom she was my friend! You made her go away!"

"Gabriel, my dear, you can do so much better than her!"

"Mom I don't want better than her! She'll never come back now! Sh-she's my only friend and you made her go away!"

His mother rested her hands on his shoulders pulling him back to her, "Gabriel, I promise that you will make plenty of friends. They just don't know how special you are yet."

Gabriel in his heart knew that there was no one more perfect than Tehya, but he let his mother enfold him in her arms. He was used to being ignored by her, her always telling him how his time would come one day. When school started again he would talk to Tehya and explain his mother. He didn't know what he would do if Tehya didn't want to be his friend anymore.

The next day Gabriel eagerly awaited at the bus stop praying that Tehya would show up. She did not disappoint. He raised an eyebrow at her outfit however. She wore black shorts, white stockings, carpenter boots and a faded Bob Marley t-shirt. In short, he had no idea what to make of her. She walked to the bus stop and stood right beside him saying nothing. She shuffled her book bag a bit, and popped a piece of gum into her mouth. She didn't even look at him, and once he was certain she wasn't not going to talk to him he hung his head.

"So, Gabe," she said whispering softly, " you okay?"

The very question threw Gabriel for a loop. Honestly? She wanted to know if _he _was okay? All night he had had nightmares of this morning. He had expected her to hate him and avoid him at all costs. Was he okay? Now that she was talking to him he felt as if he could walk on the moon.

"I'm fine," he whispered back a huge grin lighting on his face.

"Good," she said and then she finally turned to him and kissed him on the cheek, "I was worried about you."

Gabriel blushed furiously and clasped the edge of his striped sweater tightly.

Before he could say anything the bus grumbled down the street. "Bus is here," Tehya exclaimed happily.

"Yeah," he murmured as he touched his cheek.


	5. Break My Afraid

Do I own Gabriel Gray/Sylar? The answer is no. Do I own Heroes? Most certainly not. But on the off chance I do run into Zach Quinto…I have three words: Chloroform, Handcuffs, and Bed. Tim Kring, NBC you guys get all the credit, but I get to fantasize.! Read on friends!

Tehya let Gabriel have the window seat and immediately upon sitting down began rummaging through her book bag. Gabriel peered into the bag curious. "Oh no you don't! No peeking," she laughed as she hid it from his view. Finally with a happy 'Aha!' she pulled a small notebook out a sketchbook. Gabriel arched his thick brows as if to say 'yes it's a notebook, now why is it so special'. She looked over to him finally and opened the sketchbook. Instantly he understood. It was picture of the two of them and her mother.

"My mother's a bit of an artist, so I asked her to draw us from yesterday. Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it's great! But-"

"But what? I could take it back if you-"

"My mom…I'm sorry. What she did was really mean and I don't want you to be mad at me."

"Gabriel, you're my best friend I could never be mad at you!"

"Best friend? Really? I mean even after yesterday?"

Tehya smiled softly. She glanced over his head at his energy. It had calmed down since this morning. He must have been so afraid that they would not have been friends after yesterday. She wondered if he even slept last night. "Gabriel," she said as she took his hand, "remember at the playground? I told you that I was watching over you, and I meant it. You and me we're like this," she said crossing her two fingers together in demonstration. Gabriel nodded satisfied with her answer.

At school Mr. Nelson forced them through another class reading. Now, that Tehya knew who her enemies were she noticed that she had the same class as the elf-girl. The elf-girl noticed her staring and poked her tongue out at her. Tehya grinned and went back to looking at her book. She knew that the elf-girl wouldn't bother Gabriel, not with her around.

At recess Tehya met Gabriel near the jungle gym. She had some snacks left from her lunch and she was all set to surprise him. Suddenly she was rudely shoved to the ground from behind. She tore her stockings on the pavement, and the cookies rolled out the bag onto the ground. Two pairs of feet set to stomping the cookies. She looked up into the face of the elf-girl and her three knuckle-headed friends. "Hey there Tehya. You should really watch your step, you know."

"Yeah or I could just make sure you guys don't push me again."

"Oh come on Tehya you know I would never do something like that."

"I know that," Tehya said as she got up and began dusting herself off," you let your monkey friends do the pushing while you watch."

"You know I don't think I told you our names last time. My name is Mia Drake and these guys are Tomas, Gary, and Taylor. They're just gonna watch over Gabriel while we talk okay?"

Tehya turned to see the three boys dragging Gabriel off to the corner of the playground again. She could feel his waves of fear rolling off of him. And it wasn't long before she could hear them pushing and hitting him. Tehya immediately turned to go after them. Mia grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her around. "I wouldn't go over there if I were you. They might mistake you for Gabriel in those loser clothes of yours."

"Well, I'll just have to be a meaner Gabriel then," and with that Tehya punched Mia in the face and ran to the edge of the playground. She found the three guys pushing him in a circle, punching him in the gut. His glasses were on the ground, broken, and Tehya found that she had never been so angry in her life. Looking around she took the energy from the three boys, drinking it and making herself stronger. The three of them dropped to the ground and it was then that she started kicking them uncontrollably. She growled angrily as the energy expanded in her, licking at her fingertips, trailing up her heart.

Tehya disappeared and all was black.

When she awoke she felt a smooth cool palm on her head. She let her eyes stay closed just so that the hand would pass over her head again. After about a minute or so she opened her eyes to see the school nurse.

She moved to sit up, but she was hit by a wave of nausea and flopped back down.

"Shhh, don't try to move just yet my dear," the kind woman said," you passed out and you'll probably feel woozy for a little while longer."

Tehya sighed heavily and gulped slowly to clear her throat. "Wh-where is Gabriel? Is he…okay?"

"He's on the cot beside you, take a look."

Tehya turned her head and saw that he was asleep on the cot. She noticed that even as he slept he looked as if he were bracing himself. She hated that he curled up into a ball so tight and that he hugged his knees to his chest. She wanted him to dream about happy things and to not be afraid of every little thing that passed him by. She clenched her fist as a tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn't protect him well enough this time and now look what had happened to him. There were bruises all over his pale skin and his clothes were scuffed and dirty. A sob escaped her lips though she struggled to fight it down. "There, there," the nurse tutted as she pulled Tehya into her lap," it's all over now. It'll get better."

Crying loudly she leaned into the nurse's body and wondered why she couldn't do better for him.


	6. Her Eyes

I do not own them sam I am I do not own the Heroes clan. I do not own them here nor there but if I see Zach I chain him to a chair. I will not take them from Tim Kring or NBC, I just use them on my for my fantasy.

Gabriel woke up to see that the cot beside him was empty. He guessed that Tehya had woken up before him and had been picked up by her mother. He gulped just at the thought of being picked up by his mother or worse, his father. He swung his knees over and instantly winced in pain. It seemed that everything still hurt and just to be certain he lifted up his shirt to look over at his purplish bruises. He didn't know how he was going to explain this one.

After a few more minutes the nurse reentered the room. Gabriel shifted nervously on the cot and looked up at her. "Is Tehya…?" He gulped awkwardly at his knees and shuffled around on the cot. He was afraid that he might lose her. He had seen what had happened how angry she had become and how she had passed out. It was all his fault. If could just protect himself then she wouldn't have had to come to his rescue ad she wouldn't have fallen like that.

He could remember how angry she had been and how out of nowhere the boys got scared and fell to the ground. He remembered how her carpenter boots kept kicking them and wondered why she cared so much to protect him that way. He remembered that even as she kicked them she was still angry, how hot tears trailed down her face, and then suddenly she sank. A puppet with its strings cut, a TV show suddenly switched off, a book that surprised everyone when it fell off the desk during a test, a light that cut off during a blackout, that was how Tehya suddenly fell. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she crumpled to the ground. It wasn't even the fact that she had fallen that had shaken him so badly. It was the way her green eyes disappeared, he just…he just couldn't see them anymore.

As she sank down he immediately crawled over to her. "Tehya! Tehya! Wake up! Come on, Tehya! TEHYA!" He shook her, trying to get her to open her eyes. She had to open them because if she didn't, well, if she didn't then the world was even worse than he had imagined. Tears splashed onto her face as he shook her and as he wiped his eyes, he realized he couldn't remember when he started crying. He curled up next to her and sobbed. "Please…please, please, please, you can't…you just can't stay like this. Look at me…Tehya please!"

That was the way the recess teacher found them both. He watched as the teacher looked her over and when the nurse finally came bustling out as quickly as she could. Under the nurse's supervision the recess teacher picked Tehya up. The nurse walked over to him and offered her hand. "Come on dear," she said sweetly," let's go walk with your friend."

Now here he was without her and he had no idea what to do next. The nurse after seeing that Gabriel couldn't speak took his hand in hers. "It's okay Gabriel," she said soothingly.

"No it's not," he hissed to himself, "she got hurt protecting **me**! Those guys were picking on me and she tried to help and she just-she just fell!"

"It's okay Gabriel."

"No it's not, " he said leaping off the cot, "if I were special, if I were cool, then they wouldn't have a reason to pick on me, but I'm not. My mother lied to me! I'm a nobody! Tehya should never have helped me! I'm a loser! "Can't she-doesn't she-why doesn't she see that," he choked out with a harsh sob. "How can she not see," he whispered lamely.

"Oh, Gabriel," the nurse said as she got up to hug him, "sweet Gabriel."

It wasn't long before Gabriel was in the principal's office. Whenever he saw the principal he was reminded of a hawk. He had always liked the nature magazines in the library, and when he saw a hawk he thought of Mrs. Sevilla. Her dark brown hair was coiffed into a neat bun behind her head. One would need a microscope to find even one hair out of place. She wore a pressed and ironed grey pantsuit that was accentuated only by her light blue shirt. She was tall and bony, but her strength wasn't in her body. It was in her regal face. Her eyes were so dark they appeared to be black, her nose was slightly hooked like a beak and here lips seemed to be permanently fixed in a grim line. As Gabriel sat in the chair facing her he had the sudden urge to run. It was as he was thinking that that Mia entered the room. She sat down smoothed out her plaid skirt and crossed her hands in her lap. He would have smiled at her shiner if he had had more courage, but for now he snickered a little inside.

"The two of you know why you're here."

"Yes, Mrs. Sevilla," Mia said turning on the charm.

"Gabriel," Mrs. Sevilla questioned with one perfectly plucked eyebrow arched.

"Yes," he mumbled looking down awkwardly.

"Now I want to know exactly what happened. I will not be able to question the other students until they return to school tomorrow, but make no mistake I will find out who is responsible and have them properly punished.

"Now let's start with you Mia. What happened?"

"Well, you see I had brought cookies to lunch to share with my friends and Tehya she grabbed me, punched me in the face and then stepped on them! She's always been mean to me ever since she got here. Gabriel told her such awful things about me, and…well now she'll never be my friend. When I got up I went to go see what was going on, you know, I was worried and there her and Gabriel were trying to beat up my friends! I went over to get them away but there was nothing that I could do so I ran to the recess teacher, Mr. Mills, as fast as I could."

"Very good Mia and Gabriel what do you have to say?"

Gabriel's hands were shaking and he suddenly felt a pang of longing for Tehya. He knew that she would never stand for Mia's lies. Clenching his fists he knew that he would have to try to be strong in her absence.

"She's lying about the whole thing Mrs. Sevilla. Tehya was protecting me. Mia…Mia and her friends are big bullies," he said looking directly at Mrs. Sevilla, "and they always pick on me! Tehya got mad and she tried to protect me, but I think, I dunno," he said faltering," all of a sudden she just-she just fell. It's Mia's fault."

Mrs. Sevilla turned her molten gaze onto the him and Mia scanning them as if just looking at them would make them tell the truth. Finally her sharp eyes settled onto Gabriel.

"I will not stand for any falsehood Mr. Gray. I have yet to receive Miss Harper's statement, but from the way things are being told it seems that she's quite the troublemaker. Miss Drake you may leave."

"No," whispered Gabriel softly.

"Oh yes Gabriel. You and I are going to be calling your parents immediately for a conference and we are going to get to the root of this problem. Go get your things from your teacher. And here," she said scratching furiously on a yellow pad, " a note for your early dismissal."


	7. Home Defense

Yeah, yeah okay so we'll go over the fact that I don't own Gabriel/Sylar or any Heroes character…again. Sniff…meanie Kring and NBC for not sharing. I have however granted partial custody to KelseyCake. We split Zach; I get Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and she can have him on the other days. We split holidays also. Christmas…well we'll see. I mean tying Zach in a nice pretty bow…that's a Merry X-Mas right there.

Tehya was in her room more specifically her closet. She was going through all of her clothes throwing all of her dresses and skirts into a pile. She moved in a frenzy throwing them faster and faster. A blur of clothes flew past her onto her floor. After she cleaned out the skirts and dresses she began tossing away the clothes that were pink, that were white, that were yellow or had any type of cute design. She took out all her other clothes and threw them on her bed and immediately crossed the room to her bookcase. She shoved aside various books and knickknacks searching for what she needed. She took the scissors and immediately set to cutting into her clothes, small rips. She went back to the bookcase again and took down a case of markers. She took the black, red and blue ones, and immediately set to drawing on the jeans she had. She made lazy circles, angry marks, and small angry faces. She colored those in red. After working with those clothes she opened her door and ran downstairs to the kitchen.

First cupboard under the sink. Trash bag.

It was in the kitchen holding a trash bag that Mrs. Harper found her daughter. She had been taking the laundry out, but it seemed that that would have to wait. She found her daughter in a panicked state, a deer in proverbial headlights. She held in her hands a trash bag and seemed determined to get back to her room.

"Hold it what's going on Tehya," she asked setting down the laundry basket.

"Nothing," she said dully, "I'm just getting rid of a few things in my room."

"Oh yeah? Spring cleaning in October, huh?"

"Mom this is serious," Tehya said slightly annoyed.

"Is this about what happened at school? With Gabriel?"

Tehya looked up at her mother. She knew that her mother believed her, but it had been three days since she had been to school. Mrs. Sevilla had not believed anything she had had to say and she was suspended for a week. She had tried to wake up early to meet Gabriel at the bus stop but she noticed that his mother was now accompanying him to the bus stop every morning. It still amazed her how a neighbor could remain so distant. Eventually she did speak to her father about the whole thing. She dreaded speaking to her father. She loved him ,but he had always kept her at arm's length. Always, she had sought his approval and now she was certain that he would never look at her the same way again.

Somehow changing herself would fix this. The old Tehya had to disappear. She simply wasn't tough enough to handle the situation.

"Mom, I want to be different. The way I am now…it's not going to help anybody."

"My Tehya is just fine! Now what's the matter?"

"I don't care about dresses or skirts or makeup or anything! I have to be different ma!"

Mrs. Harper hated seeing her incredible daughter tortured this way. She knew that Tehya was protective of all that she loved and fought hard to do the right thing by anyone. When the principal had told her about what she thought Tehya had done, she flat out rejected the idea. Her Tehya would never be so cold to another person. She knew that Tehya's heart was only surpassed by her need to do the right thing. She took a tearstained daughter home, hoping that taking a few days off and spending time with her would help her feel better, but Tehya remained aloof. She had done everything, taken her to a movie, out to dinner, making her favorite dessert, but nothing removed the lost broken look in Tehya's beautiful green eyes. She was losing her daughter to this awful place and she hated that her husband had decided to come here to work.

"Kiddo, trust me things will get better."

"Things don't get better unless you make them get better. I have to clean my room now, 'scuse me ma," Tehya said flatly as she brushed by her mother towards her room.

Later that evening there were three trash bags in the bins. Mrs. Harper opened them curious as to what Tehya could possibly throw away. In the bags were clothes, pretty ones that they had bought together, shoes that she knew Tehya loved, dolls, kiddie make up kits, party jewelry, coloring books, everything that she knew Tehya treasured. She retied the bags and took them back inside. She and Mr. Harper were going to have a serious talk about their daughter, she didn't care how much work he had to do.

Marlene Harper was a woman of many strengths. She leapt into any danger for the people she loved and was usually never quick to anger. She met Louis Harper when she was eighteen and it seemed even then they were destined to be together. They were married, a small wedding with close friends and relatives, when she was twenty-two and he was a young man of twenty-five. They had Tehya a year later. When Tehya was born Marlene swore that she would give her a beautiful life, and when she looked into her baby girl's big green eyes for the first time she knew that she would do anything for her. Watching Tehya grow had been an honor. It was a very heady experience having someone depend on you for everything, look to you for guidance, but she knew that she was meant to be a mother. Now she had to find a way to guide her daughter through this and she knew that Louis was going to have to pitch in this time as well.

"Louis," she said as she entered the living room.

"What's up Marlie," Louis said putting down the bible he had been reading.

"We need to talk about Tehya."

"I know I've been meaning to bring that up, I mean, what happened at school? I never believed she was capable of such a thing. Are they sure that's what happened?"

Marlene took a seat next to Louis on the couch, "I think that Sevilla woman is a damn harpy! Anyone with _eyes _could see that Tehya and Gabriel were completely innocent. Those kids that that evil little Barbie says that Tehya and Gabriel beat up were more than twice her and Gabriel's size. Our daughter would **never** hurt anyone not the way they're saying. But still," Marlene," there's something bothering her Lou. She threw all her nice clothes and toys in the garbage, she hasn't smiled since that day…she's just going through the motions. She says she wants to change, but…I just don't…don't understand."

Louis took Marlene into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "Tay and I have always been at the odd end of the spectrum. She's just like you Marlie, strong, stubborn, and a good person. I think she just misses her friend. Seen that woman guarding over her son like a rottweiler. I think once we tell her about the new baby she'll find her footing again. I love her same as you babe, but I think if she wants to change we're just going to have to help her do that. Our girl can't be little forever."

"I know but I just feel cheated."

"No, she's still Tehya. She just has to fit into this new skin. We're going to help her do that and you know, drill the whole one step at a time thing into her head."

Marlene smiled softly knowing that that speech had never worked on their daughter, "Do you really think now is the time to mention the baby?"

"Well it's either that we wait until you start showing and tell her that you have a basketball scotch-taped to your belly."

Marlene snorted at the idea. "You think **the question** will pop up?"

"Hell yeah I do! Your daughter's just as curious as you and twice as smart as the both of us combined."

"So what should we tell her?"

"Alright, so here's what I've been thinking…," Louis said as he whispered into Marlene's ear.

"Hell will freeze over before she believes that bullshit…you really think that'll work," she said leaning back onto her husband and looking up into his eyes.

"I dunno she's your spitting image not mine. Would you have believed it?"

Marlene laughed, "I would have asked for photographic proof."

The bible slipped from the couch and onto the floor, "Christ," Louis swore, "we're screwed."

"Yup," Marlene giggled softly to herself, "very much so."


	8. Watch Me Sin

Alright so you know how it goes. Tim Kring the one producer who ruled them all owns the one Gabriel Gray, and Heroes. It is his precious. Lucky bastard. Anyway it is a good thing that I have a plan to travel the mountains of imagination, brave the stark rivers of the words "Ha ha you can't have him" and kidnap Zach Quinto. I think that will satisfy me just fine.

For the past three days there were three things that Gabriel's life had steadily revolved around. These things were religion, clocks, and school. There was nothing else, but these three things from morning until night. As soon as he was taken home he was severely scolded by his mother in the car. By the end of the ride he had slunk so low in the passenger seat he was certain that he could taste the carpet in his mouth. Upon arriving he noticed his father was home early from the shop. This too was both intimidating and unexpected. When Gabriel got out of the car and headed towards their father he immediately felt like the bug underneath someone's shoes. He hung his head and awaited the scolding that he was sure would come. "Look at me Gabriel."

Gabriel directed his head towards his father but he still could not look him in the eye. In fact, there was almost never a point in his life when he had an excuse to look or talk to his father. In Gabriel's life his father was a shadow. He rose with the sun before Gabriel and came home around five o clock. After dinner he would read a passage from the bible aloud to him and his mother, and then he retired to bed. He moved the way his clocks did in a precise fashion with hardly any deviation.

"I said **look** at me Gabriel!"

Gabriel nervously looked into his father's stern eyes. He could feel tears wanting to surface but he knew that crying in front of his father would not better the situation. He simply looked at his father and hoped that he wouldn't notice how shaky his hands were. Could his father hear his heartbeat?

**SMACK**

His face whipped to the side like the neck of doll. The slap had come so quickly that all he could do was open his mouth, there was not even an ouch, just an exhalation of breath. Gabriel's shivering suddenly ceased and his whole body shifted upright. He felt like stone save for the pulsing on his right cheek. He didn't turn his head back to his father. He couldn't. He wasn't sure what his father wanted and he did not want to be hit again.

"Gabriel…,"his father started.

He couldn't help it he flinched at the sound of his father's voice. It was the that subtle movement that broke the statue. He turned his head back and looked intently at his feet. He couldn't show weakness, now of all times. If all he could do was fail then at least he would do it as best he could.

"You are not allowed friends for two weeks, understood? You will wake up at six A.M. every morning and read the bible for an hour. If you are not awake I will wake you up. Your grades are expected to be at a B or higher and I expect no other calls from the principal unless it's to tell me that you're receiving an award or doing better in school. When you arrive home you are to do your homework, study, read passages from the bible, and go to sleep. On weekends you and I will go to the shop and I will show you how to make an honest living instead of fooling around like some heathen child!"

"Yes, father."

"Good now get inside."

Gabriel nodded and headed towards the house. He really wished that Tehya were there, she would have at least squeezed his hand in reassurance. There was never anyone here to hold his hand.

Today was Friday and his mother and father were both in the living room listening to him reading out of the bible.

"When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation."

"You understood that right Gabriel? That includes that heathen child that lives across the street."

Gabriel yearned to correct her and to tell his mother what a wonderful person that Tehya was, but he wasn't exactly sure anymore. Tehya had done some things that the bible wouldn't have considered proper. He wasn't positive that made her evil, but she did sin. Reading passages helped him to understand how miserable humans were. Constantly they sinned, constantly they hid from God. People were destined to be undeserving, inadequate, unspecial, dirty, and completely insignificant. He couldn't understand why they were allowed to walk the Earth.

"Gabriel tomorrow is Saturday and you and I will get up bright and early to work with me in the shop. You have finished with your homework?"

"Yes, father."

"Good, go to bed."

It was Saturday and the morning barely had to time to paint its colors across the sky. It was that time in the morning when everyone was sure that it should still be night and any decent human being would want to be in bed. It was at this time that Gabriel's father came to his room. He shook his son awake and in short whispers ushered him to get ready and not to forget his coat. Gabriel got ready, pulling on a shirt, sweater, pants, and finally his jacket. They went into the kitchen where his mother had his breakfast of oatmeal already steaming at the table. His father kissed his mother softly on the cheek and they retired to the other room to talk. He ate breakfast alone.

His father took long strides, his one step being nearly three of Gabriel's. He moved the way that Gabriel wished he could move, without fear. His father always wore colors that were dark and Gabriel looked down and noticed that his colors were pale and boring. He wanted to be the way that his father was, but he wasn't quite sure where to begin. Perhaps, he would understand his father more once they arrived at the shop.

The shop spoke of order and tranquility . It spoke of higher living and finer truth. It was place that seemed to offer sanctuary from the world. What amazed Gabriel was the unified tick tock that echoed through the shop. They must have all been ticking at the exact same time. It was both amazing and unnerving to be near such perfection. He briefly wondered why his father would let him anywhere near a clock. He was sure that with his luck he would manage to break the clocks he was supposed to fix. As he took off his coat and handed it to his father he briefly wondered if coming here meant that his father would eventually pass on the trade to him.

"Now son the shop will not open for another hour so let us look at some clocks together."

"Yes, father."

Gabriel's father brought a chair to a desk covered with gears, knickknacks, that made up the organs of a watch. His father then sat beside him and began looking through the stacks of material. He plucked out a watch that to Gabriel seemed beautiful, but it appeared to no longer work.

"Take a look at this watch Gabriel. It once used to be in fine working order. Its previous owner did not take care of it properly and for that the watch has suffered. It is now broken and of no use to anyone, but…,"he said as he took out a leather pouch of tools from a drawer. With a dexterity that Gabriel wished he possessed his father took the watch down to its parts, and for some reason it seemed to make sense to Gabriel. "Father, may I work with this watch?"

His father looked at him strangely but handed over his tools. "I will begin setting up for today, but if you encounter any problems with that watch or are unsure about any of the tools I will help."

"Thank you father."

"You are a good boy, my son, and I hope that your mother and I can lead you on the right path."

"I'm glad and I will do my best to follow you."

His father nodded satisfied with his answer and headed to the back room. It was then that Gabriel studied each of the fine instruments and the watch's complex parts. Through a series of guesses he began putting the watch together. After about an hour and a half he knew that he had put the watch together in the way it should have been done long ago. He had done so by polishing each individual piece with the cleaning rag in the kit, but as to knowing its assembly Gabriel wasn't quite sure how he had done it. It was almost as if he had known exactly what to do. He smiled to himself because it seemed that he had finally found something that he was good at.

It was God's gift to Gabriel, the watchmaker's son.


	9. Cut It All Away

Tehya cut out an ad from the newspaper

Let me just start off by saying I love all of your reviews. They make me feel all kinds of warm and fuzzy on the inside. I love writing this and I love the reviews at the end. I mean what's more fun than poking around in the head of a hottie killer? I can't think of anything yet. But yeah I just wanted to let you all know that these two will grow up eventually, but I really just wanted to put forward why I thought Sylar turned out the way he did. I mean we don't just wake up on day and say 'Hey I think I want brains today!'

But yeah things are gonna get even better soon! So keep reading. Oh yeah, Kring, NBC you may own Sylar but Zach Quinto is still up for grabs. I've got the scotch tape and the ski mask to back me up on that one!

Tehya cut out an ad from the newspaper. It was small but the fact that she had found it made it all the more important. This ad would help Tehya in every way that she wanted, and she hoped that her parents would see that when she showed them. Right now it was only she and her mother but she planned on waiting for her dad to come home too. It was a change that she wanted them all to agree on.

Today her mother had planned on taking her to the store to buy her some new clothes. She knew her mother had gone through the things that she had thrown away. T he bags weren't in the garbage anymore, but still her mother said nothing of it. Instead her mother had casually brought up the subject of a wardrobe change. She had nodded in approval and went to get dressed. When she got downstairs she noticed the paper on the table and began to skim through it. There was a time when only comics mattered to her, but it seemed that she no longer held the same love for them as she did before. It was time to grow up. She had found the ad then, the ad for Tae Kwon Do classes. She instantly felt that this was what she needed to know. A long time ago she would have wanted to learn tap or ballet, but she noticed that that flavor had died too.

Finally her mother came down the stairs, and for a moment she felt a flicker of her old self. Her mother's radiance and life always filled her with joy. She was so beautiful and happy it almost hurt her to have to change now. She knew that her mother doted on her because she was her only daughter and her princess, and she didn't want what she was about to become to make her mother feel bad but she knew that it would.

"Hey kiddo ready to hit the road."

"It's Saturday mom," Tehya said attempting to seem bright and cheerful, "I'm definitely ready!"

"I know honey, now let's go have a great day."

Tehya noticed that her mother's face seemed tight and stretched when she smiled. Tehya grabbed her mother's hand and squeezed. A real smile. Good. Tehya didn't want to break her mother's heart just yet.

They went to Kingston Mall, a mall just beyond the downtown area of New York. At any rate, it was a little ways from Brooklyn, and being that far away Tehya couldn't help but feel relieved. The mall was crowded as the rest of New York was but at least here it was contained. "So where do you want to go first sweetie?"

"Umm, is there a hair salon around here, anywhere?"

"Of course, why think of getting your hair styled?"

"Sort of."

"How short are we talking little lady?"

"I want it to be up to here," Tehya said as she gestured to the nape of her neck," and just leave a little to hang over my eyes. "

"Oh…okay, mom is that alright with you."

Tehya looked at her mother and tried to convey with only her eyes how badly she needed this. Her mother had to know she felt, that this was only the beginning.

"It's…it's fine," she said as she gently fingered her daughter's hair, "it's what she wants."

"Alright."

The hairdresser washed Tehya's hair, she dried it, she sprayed it heavily and then set to combing it. All through it Tehya was wondering when the actual cutting would begin. Finally the hairdresser removed a pair of scissors from her workstation. They gleamed in the fluorescent lights and it was with a breath that she closed her eyes, and let the scissors come.

Snip.

**Snip.**

**Snip.**

**Snipsnipsnipsnipsnipsnipsnip.**

Tehya's eyes remained closed during the whole ordeal. She knew that she wanted this, but inside it felt as if someone were hacking away at her with a dull blade. Every instinct in her wanted to smack the scissors away, grab her mother's hand and leave, but she knew that she couldn't do that. She had to be brave for Gabriel. She had to be brave for herself. She couldn't let her own fear and weakness stand in the way, not anymore.

Shopping today had not been like previous shopping escapades where her and her mother both left the mall giggling and happy. It was a somber moment; the bags were loaded into the car quietly. The trunk was shut without even a whisper of happiness at the bargains they had found. There were no comments about the food they had tried at the food court. There was nothing but a deep wedge that split Tehya from her mother, and **she wasn't done yet**. As her mother closed the door and started up the car she could see the energy that rolled off of her. She wasn't even trying but she could still feel it stark and naked and confused. It beckoned to her, to soothe her pain as only a mother could, but she pushed it away and turned on the radio to drown out the hopeless silence.

Tehya carried all of the bags up to her room, one by one. She unpacked them and began placing them in their proper drawers and their proper hooks. She took the shoes from their boxes and began lining them up underneath the clothes in her closet. She set the bandanas, earrings, and biker gloves onto her dresser and eventually she managed to catch herself in the mirror. It was the mirror that she and her mother had hung above her dresser. It was in that mirror that she saw what she was turning into.

Her hair was all but gone, cut short in the back and on one side it went down to her cheek in a long bang. She almost looked like an extremely beautiful boy, but really captured Tehya's attention was the look in her eyes. She had never seen such a look on her face, but it was one she didn't care to see again, and so she removed the mirror from its proper place and put it under her bed. She knew it would be a long time before she could look at herself. **Things were just beginning**.

At dinner things were silent, but not for long. Tehya felt it was time to introduce the article. She unfurled it from her pocket and rested it on the table. The three of them stared at the paper as if it were a malicious alien that needed to be destroyed. Finally Tehya took her eyes off the paper and faced her parents. "I want to take Tae Kwon Do lessons. I think they can help me."

"Help you do what exactly," Tehya's father asked an eyebrow raised in question.

"It will help me get…control. I want to be stronger dad."

"Tehya, honey, you're ten years old."

"I'll be eleven next year!"

"Honey, you're dad is just trying to tell you that you're a little girl…are you sure this is what you want to do?"

"Mom, I'm tired of people picking on me. I'm tired of not being able to do anything, but sit there while people take things from me!"

"So this is about getting back at those people?"

"No, Dad, it's about making sure that they don't come after me!"

"Or your friend," Tehya's mother couldn't help but quip.

"I love him ma. I want to keep him safe."

"That's why he has a mother and father Tehya, to protect him."

Tehya's mother reached across the table and grabbed her hand. "There is someone else that you have to protect. Tehya, you're going to be a big sister."


	10. And So We Grow Apart

"Hi I'm Jokerfest and I'm a fanatic of heroes and Sylar."

"Hi Jokerfest."

"I'm here because I know full well that I do not own Heroes or Sylar but there's a good chance I'm going to kidnap Zach Quinto."

"Awwww."

"And now I've come forth to seek help…well actually no that's a lie I like being obsessed. Hey wait a minute…what's that straightjacket for…I thought we talked about this…NO NOT THE SYRINGE!!

He never spoke to her again. It was as if she had been a tumor and he had had her viciously and quite painfully removed. She had accosted him at the playground, after being suspended for so long, and he had simply shrugged her away and said he wasn't allowed to speak to her.

She supposed it was easy for him to shrug her away when she looked the way that she did, hair cut short, wearing all black, made slightly taller in metal tipped boots. She had hoped that he would be the one person that would see past all that, but he hadn't been.

She was alone again.

Having Gabriel reject her only made it easier for her to fit into her new skin. It made it easier to ignore the others that stared at her in the hall. It made her numb to all the things that she hated about herself and the others. She no longer played at the playground. She simply sat alone on the tarmac. However, despite the fact he no longer wanted her, Tehya still watched over Gabriel. She watched Mia and her friends, and gave them looks so cold and devastating that they knew they could never go near Gabriel again. They pretended that they had lost interest, but the animal part of them knew it was pure fear that kept them from him.

Tehya smiled inside every time she turned them away from Gabriel. She knew that she had done well keeping her promise to him; all it had taken was everything that she loved about herself. She wondered if he even knew how she watched him from day to day. She wondered if he even cared about her anymore.

It was this way that she grew up, learning to hide her emotions, trust no one, move silently, keep the people you love in your sights.

Gabriel did make some friends after the ordeal, but none of them were as close to him as Tehya had been. He moved through them like a fish through a current, touching their worlds enough for them to know he existed, but never close enough to touch his heart. No one was ever allowed there after her.

He knew that she still cared for him as he did for her, but she was a sinner. He could see it in her eyes, how she had lost her way. She no longer held that innocent look in her eyes. She no longer wore her pretty clothes or smiled brightly when the sun hit her face. Even her hair, one of her most defining attributes, she had gotten rid of. Gabriel tried to comfort himself by saying there was nothing left of his old time crush, but he knew that the fact that he was never again taunted by Mia and her gang meant that she was still watching over him.

She was not an old time crush; he thought bitterly, she was the love of his life.

She was sixteen. He was sixteen first, she knew. She had still not let her hair grow since that day. He had still not gotten contacts. He still felt awkward around social circles, and she still believed that she didn't need to be involved in any. She wore all black, he still wore sweater vests, but now despite them the other girls could see that he was attractive. She on the other hand, held a dangerous, mysterious beauty. Many of the boys had claimed to have slept with her, but in all honesty they were all too afraid to talk to her. She was an A student and so was he. She participated in no school sports, but it was obvious that she was in shape. She got an A in PE and had already beaten the records for every kind of athletic feat, including the boys' records. She did not smoke, but had tried weed, coke, and drank on occasion. She didn't like the drugs, but the liquor made some things bearable. She was an avid pupil of three dojos, and had surpassed even some of her previous masters. If she wasn't participating in martial arts she practiced her guitar. Her parents had made her agree that if she was going to pursue martial arts she would need good grades and another extracurricular activity. He had decided that he wanted to take up the family business despite what his mother had said. After all, father was so proud of him, and that was good enough for him. They moved by each other and around each other, but it was inevitable that they would crash into each other.

Literally.

"Aw, what the fuck," Tehya said as she fell right on her butt books and papers flying everywhere.

"Oh, jeez I'm so sorry. I didn't mean…" Gabriel paused as he realized whom he had bumped into.

"S'okay Gabe, no harm done," Tehya said softly as she gathered her books together.

"Here, let me help," he said gently.

She licked her lips and offered a weak smile. "Thanks."

Together they managed to get all the papers and books together. When they were finished they still had not risen. It had been so long since they had dared look into each other's eyes. Gabriel was the first to look away, but Tehya wasn't ready. She tipped his cheek, just as she had done six years ago. "I'm watching over you still."

"I know."

"I know that I seem different, and I am, but I'm still…"

"I know, you don't have to…"

"Six years, Gabriel. We were only best friends for a couple of weeks and I still can't stop…"

"Neither can I."

"Gabriel do you hate me?"

"Hate? No, never Tehya, how could I ever hate you?"

"Then why did you turn away when I got off suspension? Why did you," 'abandon me', Tehya finished in her head.

The bell rang and whatever moment they had had vanished like a wisp of smoke. She gave him a nod and stood up. She knew that he was still afraid, she would be too if their positions had been reversed, and so she left first to take away the awkwardness of the situation. She quickly bustled to her math class and tried her best to shove away her rising tears. She hadn't cried in so long and she didn't want to start now.

Gabriel hurried off to his original destination, the library. He had wanted to do more study on the clocks that his father had brought in the shop. He figured that the library must have had some grain of knowledge that he could use. As he scanned the books he noticed that there was a group of girls giggling at a table behind him. He turned to them wondering what was so funny, and blushed when he realized they were all staring at him. It was unnerving but he shrugged it off and began scanning the shelves once again. The giggling began but had risen in volume. Naturally he wondered if there was something wrong with him. Was there food on his back? Was his hair sticking up? Did someone slap a sign on his back? He turned to them again and this time it was one girl in particular that caught his eye. It was Mia Drake.

Tehya found that she couldn't concentrate. All through math she ran on autopilot while she thought of Gabriel. She had not spoken to him in six years, and now all of a sudden it seemed they were forming complete sentences. She twirled her pencil in her hand snapping at its energy occasionally making it spin impossibly fast in the air. No one dared look at her so she figured she might as well get some practice in. She wondered if she could catch up with him after class, if perhaps she could visit him at home. She shook her head, the pencil fell, no his parents would never allow that. She looked even more like the "heathen" they thought she was. His mother still crossed herself when she walked by. Maybe this was the only conversation she would ever get from Gabriel again. Perhaps, it was over for them both and she had simply been clinging to a dream. She couldn't help herself, though; there was no one that made her feel like she had a purpose save for him. There was no one here in this city that could get to her heart like he did. She knew why she had gone after him at the playground that fateful day, because his energy was pure, because he did right and strived to do better constantly. He was someone worth protecting. She wanted to be his friend again and she was certain once she found him he could fix her, make her the way she had been once.

She was asking him out. Her, Mia Drake, and now he wasn't quite sure what to do. It would have been fine if one of her friends had asked him out. He wouldn't have felt a stab of guilt if it had been one of them, but it wasn't. It was true that she had changed, gotten new friends, treated others better, but he still felt that going steady with her would change things for the worse. He then thought of Tehya and how she would feel. Should he really be thinking about her?

"I can understand if you don't want to, it's okay. I remember grade school, the way I behaved. I was a horrible person and if it weren't for Tehya you would have gotten badly hurt. I know that."

"No, we were just kids Mia, it's fine."

"You still think about it though, don't you? Still think about the way the three of us were?"

"I do, but it doesn't matter. Tehya and I we're not friends anymore…" She touched his hand and nodded sympathetically. "I think that was my fault too Gabriel." He looked down at her and noticed that there was an entirely different look in her eyes. She was not the same girl he was certain of it and so he nodded. She smiled, and for the first time he felt a spark of something he hadn't felt since he and Tehya was younger.

Tehya scrambled out of class as fast as she could and was headed towards the library. She knew Gabriel he was constantly seeking knowledge and so she ventured there. He wasn't there. In fact, he was leaving and Mia Drake was clinging to his arm. The two of them were laughing.

He felt eyes on him, and for a moment he stopped laughing and turned to look around. There she was her green eyes shining with tears. Her hand was clutching her chest and she looked so lost. He buried the pain deep into his chest and waved at her. He wanted to let her know that he was all right, that she didn't need to watch over him. He felt a painful tug in his chest he wasn't sure what it was. He looked down and then back up. She had fainted.


	11. Broken Line of Energy

I don't own the sexy Gabriel or Heroes. I wish I did…but I don't. However if you've seen Wanted Eyes you know that I really really want to anyway. Or at least Zach Quinto. I could definitely settle for the sexy Zach Quinto. Mmmmm…hot bad ass actors.

Tehya for a moment was lost in a world that consisted of only feeling and nothingness. It was where she learned her power stemmed from. She found that inside of herself was a deep emptiness and it could reach out to others who did not share that same emptiness. Tehya smirked inside when she thought of a book called the Borrowers and how small people would borrow little knickknacks from the "giants" in order to survive. Tehya realized at about eight, that that was how she affected all the living things around her. She borrowed and sometimes, not all the time, gave it back. Until she had come to New York she had never used her power to hurt anyone, but she found that the urge to do was coming more and more often. She had not mentioned that she was different to her parents but instead practiced in her room when they were occupied with her brother Zaya. She watched him sometimes just to know if he had a power like she did. When he was three she found that he could not be hurt, that he was a walking force field when he wanted to be. Playing catch with him had always been awkward because he would have to drop his shield in order to catch the ball. She liked training him however and so games like catch became more frequent in their routine. Nothingness again and then she began to hear a voice piercing through. A familiar voice, one that never seemed to stop drawing on old wounds.

"Gabriel…"

"Yes, I'm right here! Are you alright?"

"The fuck does it look like," Tehya snapped as she struggled to get to her knees. At this point a small crowd had gathered in the hallway watching the exchange of the two people who everyone was sure had absolutely nothing in common other than zip codes.

"Look, I'm sorry Tehya. Whatever it is…"

"You mean she, whatever **she** is."

"Don't be like that Tehya, she's changed."

Tehya's eyes were as sharp as diamond as she glared at Gabriel. She wanted to hurt him suddenly, the way he had hurt her. "Gabriel I don't care who you hang out with," she said loudly as she got up and got her things together, "I don't give a flying fuck about who you talk to, who you play with, who you **fuck**," she grinned pointedly, "I just want you to go back to pretending that I don't exist for both our sakes."

She slung her book bag over her shoulder and turned away. He grabbed her by the shoulder stopping her from getting away. "That's not fair, Tehya."

She threw his hand off her shoulder and spun around. "Not fair!? Are you serious? Who said anything about fair? Want to know what's not fair? The fact that I wasted six years of my life thinking we could be friends again! But I guess your mother and father still think I'm Satan's little helper, right? Hmmm…I wonder do Gabriel the angel and Satan's helper hang out together…"

"Tehya stop…please."

"…does Satan's helper have friends?"

"Tehya please!"

"Please what!? Please what Gabriel!? Who should I please Gabriel!? Tell me right now so I can fix everything up real good! Tell me what to do. Make me see the light. Who should I be pleasing?"

"I-I'm sorry."

The anger rushed out of Tehya as she suddenly felt his sorrow and shame roll off of him in vicious waves. She squelched down everything that she was about to say and offered a slight smile hindered only by her guilt and her oncoming tears. "I'm sorry too. Goodbye." With that she turned away pushed through the crowd and headed to her next class. She didn't want him to see her cry.

She eventually left the school. She simply couldn't be near so many people. She couldn't pretend that she was normal, that she was human. She slid her book bag off her back. She dropped her books to the pavement, and she just started running. She didn't understand anything. She didn't understand why she felt pain with every choice she made. She took energy from the trees, the heat rising from the tarmac in the streets, everything except the people to make her feet fly. Soon she felt herself racing down the sidewalk barely touching the ground. Her heart pumped quickly in her chest and she could hear blood rushing through her ears. She stretched out her powers further wanting to take in enough energy to make her forget. She needed to forget. She ran faster and faster until she saw it coming.

She barely had enough time to register what it was, but it hit her and she was flung viciously across the street. 'A crosswalk' she smiled inwardly as she saw her blood pool around her now broken body. 'A fucking crosswalk.' She closed her eyes and let herself drift out and away.

Emptiness, let there be emptiness.

Gabriel walked Mia Drake home, after all that had happened it was the least he could do. She lived so close to the high school that his parents probably wouldn't note the late arrival. When he did arrive home he realized that there was a good chance they wouldn't have noticed anyway. The both of them were arguing with Tehya's mother. As he got closer he realized that it wasn't so much that they were arguing. His parents were yelling angrily at Tehya's mother and she was pleading with them, tears running down her face. He came upon all three of them and it was then Mrs. Harper turned to him and hugged him tightly. "Thank God! Thank God! Gabriel she's been wanting to see you! Tehya's in the hospital!"

"What!?"

"Get away from my son," his mother said viciously as she dragged him behind her.

"You are quite bold, trying to turn him against us, you filthy woman," his father yelled angrily.

Gabriel could not believe his parents, and for the first time he went against them. He stepped from behind his and stood before them. "Mother, father, I understand that you don't like Tehya, but in the bible it says, "And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

"Ephesians four thirty-two," his mother whispered as she clenched his father's hand.

"Right mother. She was my best friend and she did everything to protect me. I want to be there for her now. Please, let me do this."

"But Gabriel-"

"No, Virginia, this boy is a man now. Go on son you have our blessing."

"Thank you father."


	12. Six Years Late

This may come as a shocker to all of you but I do not own Gabriel delicious Gray or Heroes. I mean, this one time at home I imagined what I would do if I did own Heroes and I'm pretty ashamed to say there would probably be a lot of nudie scenes containing our poor not so innocent brain-stealing watchmaker.

Mrs. Harper drove them both to the hospital constantly wiping at her eyes as she did so. As they drove she made idle chit chat with Gabriel. He knew that she was really trying to push away the thoughts of her daughter hurt and in a hospital bed. He could understand that.

"So how have you been Gabriel?"

"Me- uh- I've been good I guess."

"Well, that's good, I guess," she said smiling at him.

"How has…she been doing?"

"Other than this car accident? Well, ever since she came here she's been distant. This place turned her into some sort of shadow person. I mean, one minute she's ecstatic because she finally made a friend, the next she's lopping off all her hair and buying combat boots. I really-I really just don't know what runs through her head anymore. Tehya only acts like her old self when she's around her brother. I don't think you two have met, he's really sweet, brings out the best in her. She's really too young for this, so young, but she insists. God, she insists on being tough and strong…and, I just…I just," Mrs. Harper wiped away more tears and went silent.

"It's all my fault Mrs. Harper."

"No it's not Gabriel, don't you dare think that. She loves you, talks about you all the time to Zaya when we're not looking."

"She does?"

"Yup. You know, she said that she was changing to help protect you. She said the old her wasn't strong enough."

"But why does she care so much, about me? I can never be as good as her and-"

"You're not allowed to think that either Gabe, honey. My daughter thinks your worth protecting and I believe that she still makes good choices even if I don't understand them."

"Oh."

"I didn't mean it like that. She loves you and I can see why. I don't think she knows how not to love fiercely. She puts her whole heart into loving a person and I guess to her that makes her weak. But she just can't just shake off a big heart."

The car went silent as the two occupants thought of Tehya, each wondering if they had been the reason she was in the hospital right now.

Gabriel did not really like hospitals. They were too plain and seemed almost devoid of happiness. People who were trying to get well shouldn't be kept in a place where everything looked hopeless. He kept pace with Mrs. Harper as she navigated the hallways as if she had walked there a million times. Finally they stopped at a room at the end of the hall. She gave a stiff nod and a weak smile to Gabriel and then opened the door.

'She's broken' he thought awkwardly as he looked her over, 'and it's all my fault.

Her entire midsection was covered in bandages. Her arm was broken and one leg was in a cast. Her face looked pain stricken as she sat there alone in the room, but when she saw him she managed to provide a weak smile. "Go on then, "Mrs. Harper whispered to him, "everything's alright."

His lips quivered softly because she did not look alright at all. She looked as if she had- well gotten into a car accident. He walked to her bedside as Mrs. Harper closed the door behind him. Standing there he couldn't help but cry. He knew that she would have been paying more attention to where she was going if she hadn't been upset about him and Mia.

"Oh, don't cry," she said softly as she wiped away his tears with her good hand.

"Can-can't help it," he stuttered as the tears came softly.

"Gabriel, it's okay."

"No, you were rushing weren't you, angry at me, and you weren't paying attention that's why you got hurt!"

"Gabe, what I did it was stupid but I deserved it. I shouldn't have said those awful things to you, I shouldn't have-"

"No! Stop protecting me Tehya! I love you to you know! Let me protect you, just this once," he cried.

Finally he could see her shields falling away and her green eyes sparkled with fresh tears. He held her in his arms as she sobbed into his shoulder. Her whole body shook with frustration and sorrow and fear, all the things that she had been keeping to herself for so long. "They-they don-don't think I'll be able to walk again," she sobbed as she gripped his arm tightly. "Oh, God, Gabriel! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry," she hiccupped as tears rolled down her cheeks.

He pulled away from her and got down on his knees in front of her. He couldn't imagine her not walking. He touched the leg that wasn't in the cast. "Please, tell me you felt that Tehya," he said as more tears came, "please tell me that you'll run out of this place!"

"Oh, God Gabriel," she leaned back into her pillow, "I wish I could feel it. I wish that I could, but there's nothing down there anymore. I'm broken."

"No, you're not," he whispered as found his way back to her side, "I'll find a way to fix you I promise."

Gabriel was nothing if not faithful. He came to her bedside everyday, bringing flowers, books, stories circulating through school. He sat with her for hours watching boring television, playing cards, doing homework. He briefly wondered why he had ever considered Mia a good replacement for Tehya. Even in a hospital bed no one could compare.

"Tehya can I tell you something?"

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"You, umm…you remember when I said I loved you right?"

"Yeah, I don't think I'll ever forget that."

"Well, when I said that I didn't mean…ummm, well, I didn't mean as a friend."

Tehya looked up at the ceiling tears threatening to fall. "You didn't? How long have you-"

"Since the day I met you. There's been no one else since. I thought that Mia would make it go away, but it just made it worse."

"Why did you have to wait until I was in paralyzed to tell me this?"

"I dunno, scared I guess."

Tehya smiled at him softly, turned her head back to the ceiling and smiled. "I have been waiting six years to hear you say that to me."

"Jeez, have we both just been waiting all this time," Gabriel said laughing a little.

"We're just clever that way," Tehya said turning to look at him, "now can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Will you kiss me? I mean- you don't have to if you don-"

At this point Gabriel had already pressed his lips to hers quieting her fear of being rejected. It was funny because he had thought that his first kiss would be with someone else but he had _always _hoped it would be with Tehya. Her lips tasted better than he had imagined and he had imagined often, and the feeling of her hair between his fingers was even silkier than he had hoped. She deepened the kiss and took his top lip between hers letting her tongue go into his mouth. He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow but let her inside liking the way her tongue roamed in his mouth. Not one for turning down a lesson he let his tongue touch hers gently. He felt his heart skip a beat when she sighed softly in his mouth. Furthering his quest for knowledge he let his tongue explore her mouth which he discovered caused her to make even more sighs and moans. He pulled away gently and sat back down on the chair. He felt his lips and then his cheeks and noticed that he was blushing profusely.

"Wow," he said as his hands went back to his lips, "I mean-just-wow!"

Tehya laughed softly as she touched his face, "I've been waiting six years Gabriel, I wanted to make it count."

"Don't worry," he said kissing the top of her hand gently, "it counted."


	13. Learning Recovery

Haha victory! I own everyone that talks in this chapter! Take that Kring! Take that NBC. However...scuffs the floor I do have to give credit to the fact that this is a Heroes story and that I did mention Gabriel Yummy Gray. Le sadness... Oh well at least he exists alive, well and undressed in my imagination! Here's to you guys!

A wheelchair does not seem daunting until one finds it is the only means of one's transportation. This was the fleeting thought that ran through Tehya's head as she was helped into her chair. It felt odd, knowing that her legs were there but she couldn't feel them, move them. The nurse helped her into her chair, and she couldn't help but miss the hiss of pain she would have felt when her legs had knocked against the chair. Her mother and brother were there. She hadn't wanted Gabriel to be there, and her father got called away to work. She knew that Gabriel would have been supportive beyond any normal capacity but she still didn't want to be seen this way. Lying in a hospital bed was far different from being pushed around in a chair. Her mother wiped away stray tears and patted her gently on the back.

"Ready honey?"

"Ready as I can get. Hey Zaya sit in my lap, huh? Think we can get mom to push us around awhile?"

"Yeah! Let's do it Tay! But Tay?"

"Yeah, kid what's up?"

"When do you get out of the chair? When do we play catch again? This is only for a little while right?"

"Ummm…"

"Hey Zaya, how 'bout that ride with your sister, huh? This ride is only going once!"

"Kay mom," Zaya said as he hopped into his sister's lap.

Tehya looked up at her mother her eyes signaling a private thank you. Her and her parents had agreed that they would break the news of her paralysis slowly to Zaya. He was so young that it would be hard to tell him that his sister may never walk again.

Tehya felt powerless as she was pushed through the generic halls of the hospital. As she passed she would peer into the sometimes-open doors of other patients. In every room, in fact, every facet of this hospital there was a feeble energy. It quivered weakly around some of the more severely hurt patients, Tehya noticed. She wondered if the dark energy she was sensing was death. Tehya looked down at her battered body, and found that her energy was similar to that of the patients. Her upper body was sparking with vibrant energy but as she looked lower the energy became listless and disorganized. She looked at her little brother, bouncing brown hair, and lightly tanned skin, big innocent hazel eyes, and saw energy that seemed boundless. It came from within and stretched out and away leaping and hugging the other weak energies throughout the hospital. When his energy touched the others Tehya could see that they visibly brightened for a few moments. As her brother laughed and giggled he was curing other patients for a little while.

She closed her eyes and wondered if there was a way to borrow energy and heal. She had always used it for strength, but suppose there were other uses for her talent? Suppose making herself stronger and faster were only the beginning of her limits? Being different she had never really had anyone to help her with her abilities. She and Zaya often tested his abilities, but she had only dared show him a few tricks with hers. His seemed a lot less dangerous. She had hurt people with her gift, stolen from them. He created force fields to protect himself. Before the accident she had been helping him try building force fields around smaller objects. She would throw a shoe at a small block or a ball and he would instantly snap up an invisible shield to protect it. She had asked him once how it felt to use his power. He said it was like turning on a hose. He would turn on a switch inside of himself and power would come rushing out, his job was to make sure that his power covered what he wanted. When he was finished he would turn the tap off. It was all that simple for him.

When Tehya thought of her abilities and what she had been doing with them she thought of a vampire. She did not take blood, but she did take something vital from others. She took their energy and used it for herself. She had used it against Mia and her gang when she was younger and she remembered the rush. Every fiber of her body had been at attention, absorbing the energy. Every atom, every molecule was filled with power and she had wanted more, but then as her body took more energy she realized that their energy wasn't all that she was taking.

Their personalities.

She could taste the bitter malice of those three jerks that were beating up Gabriel. She could feel herself wanting hurt others just like they did, and soon she wanted to hurt Gabriel too. She could see why they wanted to hurt the little weakling, why they wanted to embarrass him and make fun of him. She fought against their filthy thoughts the only way that she could think of; by beating them up instead.

"Hey honey, want to stop by the vending machine and get something to drink?"

"Sure, sounds good."

Getting into the car had been a little difficult. Tehya realized that soon it wouldn't be once the handicap tools were applied to the vehicle. She didn't want any to be added to the car, she had always liked it the way it was. She realized that she wouldn't be able to get to her room, or put on her jeans without help. The homecoming dance that was coming up, the one where she wouldn't be able to even stand and look cool at, she wouldn't pick an outfit for. She realized that all the martial arts classes that she had grown to love were now something of the past, and slowly it dawned on her. That her life would never be the same. If ever she needed a stiff drink it would be now, but then she realized she wouldn't be able to climb out of her back window and sneak out to the liquor store that was nearby.

She waited until her mother had helped her up the stairs and onto her bed and then she cried. She had cried for everyday since the car accident that she hadn't been able to feel her legs. She cried for being an idiot and running away from school and not paying attention to where she was going. She cried for all the things that she knew she and Gabriel would no longer be able to do together. 'He should have stuck with Mia' she thought bitterly 'at least she can dance with him at homecoming'. Tehya was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice when her brother had come into her room. Finally in a fit of childish annoyance he hopped onto her bed.

"Ugh Z! What is your problem?!"

"You were in la-la land again Tehya. I brought you back!" He giggled and hugged her tightly around the middle. She couldn't help but smile and hugged him back. He hopped off the bed and locked the door behind him. Tehya raised her eyebrow at this but all he did was put a finger over his lips. She let it slide and patted the bed beside her. He smiled and hopped back up beside her. "Tehya?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"My power it's different now. I been practicin' while mom and dad sleep."

"Have you? And what did you find out?"

"It's not just a shield anymore."

"Show me."

Zaya crawled over to one of the pillows she had on her bed. He opened a force field around it, and because it consisted of energy Tehya could see it, but what she noticed was that the energy was slowly sinking into the pillow, becoming the pillow. Then she saw that the energy that Zaya was making was fusing with the pillow's. When he was finished he wiped a little sweat away from his brow and beamed up at Tehya.

"Go ahead throw something at it!"

"Okay, okay, don't get cocky munchkin."

She took the nunchuk she kept on her bedside table and threw it at the pillow. The nunchuk aged until it was nothing but dust. Tehya's mouth opened in shock. His force field could become lethal. Zaya looked at his sister and saw the shocked look on her face, his face instantly crumpled in shame.

"Did I do a bad thing?"

"No, no kiddo," Tehya whispered gently as she reached for him and took him into her lap," you just...surprised me is all. Just remember..."

"We don't show mom or dad. But still, one day we might have to protect them or something right? Do we use it then?"

"I hope something like that never happens Zaya but if it does, we use everything we got. Is it safe to touch the pillow now?"

"Yeah I can only make the power stick for a little while, doesn't last long. Should I practice?"

"Only on little things, only where it's safe."

"Okay."

In Tehya's mind she knew that Zaya's power was even more dangerous than her's. It took her time to take energy away, it took concentration. Zaya's power drank energy instantaneously and he could make regular objects mimic both her ability. At the same time he could protect said object from harm, it was both an offensive and defensive mechanism that he was wielding. She sighed softly as she cradled him against her. She had liked those nunchuks.


	14. Another Author Note

Alright alright my fabulous fans I thought it only fair to tell you about the plans that I have ahead so here goes.

Oh right…FIRST!

I love all of you people who read faithfully each chapter and leave me all glowy with the warm fuzzy comments! You guys are great!

SECOND, in a few chapters you may notice a bit of a lag because well grown up Gabriel will be making himself known soon and I'm trying to figure out how to merge my storyline with that of Heroes so you don't go all WTF that would never happen! So more research, more surfthechannel…blah blah blah. Another thing is I have school, I'm something of a college bum so some semblance of work has to be shown at some point…yeah. One other thing is that I am working on a dark knight joker story, post dark knight actually. I love dark smexy characters like sylar, joker, Riddick, etc. etc. So that too will take up some time.

Otherwise…thanks for tuning in.

Luv youse guys,

JOKERFEST


	15. Protoge Moi

sing to the Song that Never Ends I do not own Heroes or Gabriel friends and for this I must amend. Some people started saying that not knowing who I was, but I'll keep denying it simply just because it'd be the lawsuit that never ends, yes they would sue me hard my friends…

He knew Tehya was very proud. He knew that even when she had shunned the world, him, everything she loved she had still kept her pride intact. In a way it defined her existence and helped her to make the choices she made through life. Being in a wheelchair, he knew that would bring her down. He knew that even though she cared for him it would be days before she would be prepared to let him see her. He did not see her on the bus stop on the way to school.

Arriving at school, for him was certain to be an ordeal. He would have to face Mia and tell her the truth. He knew that he could never care for her the way he did for Tehya and he planned on ending the relationship between them immediately. He gulped nervously. He knew that telling someone that they weren't right for you could hurt. He had never wanted to hurt anyone before, but he knew that he would do anything for Tehya. So as he made it to the double doors of the school entrance he braced himself.

Entering the school had not been a problem, even his classes remained uneventful. Things picked up at lunch as they are wont to do. In fact, it was as if everything that was going to fall apart was waiting just for lunch period to do so. Gabriel picked out a chicken sandwich on his lunch tray and someone placed a small slice of cake onto it as well. Gabriel followed the hand to see that it was attached to a positively radiant Mia. In grade school he had always thought of her as attractive albeit evil, but still good looking. In high school he had always had more intense classes than she and so running into her had never really come up. Now, her face glowing with happiness he couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't noticed before. It made him feel like absolute trash when he thought of a way to tell her what he planned on doing.

Moving down the line beside her proved to be even worse. She chattered about what they were going to wear to the dance, wondered what color he thought went best with her eyes, did he own a tux, when would he come over to meet her parents, all sorts of things. At this point the was so guilt ridden he wondered why he was still buying lunch. There was simply no way he could eat. He pondered just chucking the whole mess into the trash and running to the library but then he thought of Tehya. How could he validate being with her if were an absolute coward now? So, nodding politely and paying the lunch lady he finally gave his full attention to Mia.

"Mia we have to talk." He adjusted his glasses nervously and waited for her to acknowledge the gravity of his words.

"Umm, yeah okay. Let's sit down."

"Yeah, over here is fine," he said as he moved to one of the tables in the back of the cafeteria.

They sat down.

They looked at each other.

Gabriel sighed and put his hands on his lap.

"Okay…Mia what I wanted to-"

"You're breaking up with me aren't you?"

"What?"

"I can see it in your face! You're breaking up with me aren't you?!"

"Well, yeah-"

"I can't believe you Gabriel! Why are you dumping me," she yelled.

"Because I-"

"No shutup you jerk! I knew it, once a nerd always a nerd! You were nothing in grade school and you're still a nothing! I don't even know what I saw in you!"

Gabriel wanted to disappear into his chair. He already knew that despite the fact they were at the back of the cafeteria everyone could hear them. It was just like in the playground except much worse. Now, everyone had a perfectly good view of his humiliation not just three guys and a pretty elfin girl. She stood up vehemently brushed off her designer skirt and strutted over to his side of the table.

"Get up Gabriel."

"I-uh-what?"

"I said get up now!"

Gabriel stood and despite being a good six inches taller than her he still felt like an ant. She slapped him right across the face. He gasped in pain, but said nothing.

"You've always been a weakling, always been a nobody! Who wants a pathetic thing like you! You're a fucking watchmaker's son! Who could want you!?"

"I could and I do."

Mia Drake all blonde and all prep looked down to see Tehya Harper in a wheelchair. She knew instantly why she had been dumped by Gabriel. He still had feelings for that disgusting shadow girl. Looking at her she couldn't help but sniff in disgust. The two of them were obvious freaks they belonged together. She smirked.

"What's with the chair Wheels?"

"Got into an accident I'm paralyzed."

"Karma's a bitch isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you being a complete whore and stealing my boyfriend is how you ended up in that chair. Ha! All that muscle in PE class and now you can't even walk!"

Gabriel took off his glasses and folded them carefully. Mia saw him move but continued to insult Tehya.

"So shadow girl what's it feel like to be so completely useless? I Can't believe he dumped me for you! You're such a fucking freak! No wonder the two of you are-"

"Shut the hell up Mia!" Mia whipped her head around at Gabriel. She had never heard him curse in her life. He had taken his glasses off and was looking at her in a way that scared her. She took a step back.

"Don't you **ever** talk to Tehya that way! I don't have to listen to you insult her!"

Mia composed herself and prepared to attack. She made to raise her hand but found that she couldn't move it. Tehya had grabbed it and was giving her the most satanic look a human being could give.

"Do not touch my boyfriend you miserable little bitch," she hissed.

"This isn't fair! This isn't fair at all. You two are complete losers."

"Heh that's funny considering Gabriel and I have hooked up and you're the third wheel. Where are your three henchmen by the way? Didn't you guys used to hang out?"

"They're in juvie."

"Hmmm, well there's a surprise, oh I'm sorry," Tehya toggled the switch on the wheelchair to turn to Gabriel.

"Wanna come with me to get my lunch I'm starving."

"Oh no you fucking bitch," Mia said grabbing Tehya by her hair. Tehya yelped in pain and Mia grinned malevolently, "you don't get off the hook that easy."

Something inside of Gabriel shifted. No one hurt Tehya. He grabbed Mia by her wrist and squeezed. Hard. His brows dipped downwards and his eyes almost seemed black at this point. He growled harshly," Do not **ever **touch Tehya again or I **will** **break** you. Do you understand," he said squeezing down hard. She hissed in pain and glared at him angrily. He squeezed harder making her yelp.

"I said, do you understand?"

"Yes…I got it," she grit out tears springing to her eyes.

"Good, now leave us alone."

Mia humpfed angrily and trudged off tears streaking down her face. Gabriel put back on his glasses and looked down at Tehya. She looked up at him and smiled softly. "Wow Gabe you surprised me."

"I did?"

"Yeah, you protected me. Stood up for my honor and all that."

"I did, didn't I," he said beaming down at her.

"Now how's 'bout a kiss for my hero."

He grinned and knelt in front of her. He knew that everyone was watching but for once he could care less. Let them stare he was the one who got to kiss the most beautiful girl in the whole school. He smiled against her lips knowing that it was only a matter of time before the two of them were sent to the office. He decided that if that were the case…he deepened the kiss just as he had learned at the hospital bed. Might as well make every second count.


	16. A Dreamer's Mind

_She watched him grow. She had carried him inside her for nine months, but due to unforeseen circumstances they had had to part ways. At the private hospital that was warranted a woman her status, she signed the adoption papers. He had been so small, bundled in a mountain of baby blue blankets. They had asked if she wanted to name him, but she had shaken her head no. All she wanted was to be assured of his safety. So she let the nurse raise him gently from her arms and exit the room._

_Years later and she still kept tabs on the family. She delved quietly into his world of watches and religion eager to learn about him. They had named him Gabriel, Gabriel Gray. He was an excellent pupil, excelled in all his academic efforts. However, when it came to people she noticed, he was not nearly as adept. He never invited friends over, nor chatted with them in the halls. She noticed however that he would constantly glance at his neighbor's window._

_She wondered why._

_The first time she had seen the girl she could see why she held Gabriel so enraptured. She was beautiful even at a young age. She had lovely black and brown hair. She was tall and even at such an age had the formation of a dancer's body. Her eyes were bright and filled with laughter, they were a bright emerald green. The girl was lovely in all sense of the word and she was happy for Gabriel._

_The pair she noted after several weeks were not meant to be together. She wondered what could have torn them apart, but after seeing Gabriel's foster family she had her suspicions._

_She saw the changes in the girl swiftly. Lovely hair, cut away. Beautiful dresses and shoes traded for cut up jeans and black shirts. She saw that the brightness had now receded to a lifeless doe eyed look. The girl tilted her head as if listening to something. _

_She gasped as she felt a sudden pain in her chest. She realized that there was something about that girl. The girl possessed abilities. Perhaps, she should alert the company about this sudden turn in events. The girl's body quivered slightly and then she sighed softly. She curled her hands into fists and smiled softly to herself._

_Of course, watching closely she noticed a lovely young girl emerge. She seemed to be about the same age as Gabriel. She had short black hair and big emerald green eyes. She had a loving smile that seemed to encompass the entire world in its glow. All this happiness and she was in a wheelchair. She noticed that Gabriel's stance had changed from nervous and withdrawn, to straight and confident. The girl gave him confidence. She saw him jog across the street to her, kneel down and kiss her lovingly._

_So that was what the girl meant to him. She gave a mental groan because she knew that this love would have to end. She could not afford someone so potentially dangerous near her son. She would alert the company and have them keep track of the girl. _

_She saw the future, saw the death that this girl would cause. She saw the swiftness with which this girl would bring plague and misfortune. It was rather sad that this was the girl Gabriel loved._

She woke up and picked up her phone from the bedside table. Punching in a few digits she waited for the person on the other end to pick up.

"We have a small problem in New York. Send some of your men to come clean it up."


	17. Something New

Kay so I'm gonna rush through the disclaimers like so: Don't own anyone except Tehya and her fam. Gabriel and Heroes belong to Tim Kring. However, Zach is going to be mine for XMAS all nice and wrapped in a bow…and nothing else. Yeah on this chapter there is a lemon (aka sex scene). I mean it's teenage sex so it's nothing completely well… naughty…well they are having sex so _technically_…aw hell there's sex dammit!

There was no office.

Tehya and Gabriel proceeded to their tables, her tray piled high with spaghetti and his hosting a lonely chicken sandwich. He had given Tehya the cake, since he knew that she had a penchant for sweets. They ate together talking and laughing, just as they had done long ago when they were children. This time they did not have to hide how they felt about one another and occasionally during the conversation they would grip each other's hands. It was almost like a reminder that they were really here together, that they were allowed to be together. Green eyes would meet earth brown and if one looked closely you could see them both sparkling with mirth. Occasionally a hand would touch a face silencing all verbal conversation, but it seemed that they no longer needed words. Tehya found that she liked the way that Gabriel's hands traced her jaw line. In his hands she felt like something precious and he was so gentle it almost brought tears to her eyes. Gabriel found that he liked the way her hands gingerly ran across his budding stubble. Her easy smirk let him know that she approved.

After lunch Tehya left Gabriel and made her way to her Biology class. She found that this subject spoke to her. It did not explain her abilities, but instead gave her insight into the way a body should be. When she was finished with high school she hoped that she would be accepted into a pre-med college, become an intern, and eventually a doctor. She remembered the hospital that had been her home for over two weeks and she knew that her powers could somehow change the dismal atmosphere of those hallways. When she was younger she had not always been so hollow. She had given energy, had seen it work as it helped other beings grow. She wanted to have that same faith in her abilities again.

Class had been interesting; they had gone over the entire skeletal structure of the human body and their purposes. Many of the students had groaned loudly hoping that the teacher would gloss over the finer details of the bone like the coccyx or the patella, but Tehya immersed herself in the lesson. By the end of class she had written copious notes and was asking further questions.

Next class was math a subject that Tehya was always in contest with. Math did not come easily to her, despite what the final report card said. Play by play notes and studying until two in the morning were both reasons why she did so well. She knew that with Gabe studies came naturally to him. Now that they were dating, she couldn't help but sigh happily at this, they could study together. Cruising down the hallways and entering the bathroom she could suddenly feel the energy of someone quite angry, someone familiar. Not spinning he chair around fast enough she suddenly found herself shoved roughly out of her chair. Sprawled on the floor and hitting both her broken arm and leg, Tehya cried out. On the floor Tehya could do nothing but rest her head on the tiles as a foot repeatedly kicked her side until she felt like her ribs would crack. She struggled helplessly crying as she did so. She couldn't move, couldn't defend herself, and she could tell that she was bleeding. Mia's designer boots kicked her in the face successfully turning her over onto her back.

She wrapped her hand around Mia's ankles struggling to shove her loose. She didn't want to do it, but she knew that if Mia continued she would have to. She cried for the pain that she was feeling and the pain she would cause.

She began to drink. Little by little she siphoned off energy from Mia. Mia lost her balance and Tehya shoved her off her host's energy giving her strength. Hungry, she began steadily taking more and more energy. She saw the unruly energy skimming lazily over her legs snapping hungrily at Mia's fading life-force. She could feel the bruises on her side disappearing and God was she suddenly pissed.

No. No it was the energy she had to stop. She looked away from her healing wounds to a now seizing Mia. She let the energy stop and lay her head down. Someone would eventually help her get back into her chair.

She was released from school early and when Mia came to, Mia was given four days suspension. However, despite her small victory over Mia, Tehya did not feel any better. Sure her body was feeling great. She was still confined to her chair, but the bruises had faded to a light grayish color. That answered her question about healing. It also meant that she would probably have to kill another human being in order to walk again. Sitting on her bed she began to strum her guitar. Her brother lay on a pillow beside her, blankets covering his legs. He always came to sit with her when she played, it calmed them both down.

"Hey, Tehya?"

"Yeah," she murmured as she played several chords.

"I saw this guy today following me home from school."

"Huh, what? Who was following you?"

"I dunno, but Tehya I think he knows; about the things we do."

"Shi-I-mean shoot!"

Tehya laid the guitar across her lap thinking of a plan of action. "Alright, we don't tell anyone anything. And we keep our practices secret. No one knows about this okay?"

"Knows about what," Gabriel asked curiously as he walked into the room.

Tehya looked up at him surprised.

"Oh, sorry I guess I should have knocked but your mother just said to head on up and well…"

Tehya laughed and broke into a huge grin. She patted the other side of the bed opposite Zaya. He smiled back sheepishly and sat next to her.

"You play guitar," he asked running his hands over the guitar.

"Yeah, pretty good at it too. Want me to play for you?"

"I would love that," he whispered looking directly into Tehya's eyes.

"Aw, guys you are so gross! I'm gonna go see if mom's done with dinner yet."

Gabriel stretched out on the bed as Tehya began playing a tune on the guitar. She saw him relax, like a great cat. His eyes closed and he laid quietly on one of her pillows. She watched his features change to pure unworried contentment as she played. When he was relaxed he reminded her of a large cat. His lashes rested gently on his face, his chest rose and fell and his glasses slid to the tip of his nose. Tehya found this Gabriel to be beautiful. She wished that he could always be this at peace and not have to worry about all the people hassling him the way they did. She stopped playing and just looked at him.

He noticed and opened his eyes. He smiled dreamily at her and then sat up slowly. He scooted to her and touched her face softly. She leaned into his hand as he caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I love you Tehya. I mean, I know that some people say it and don't mean it, but…when we're in college. When we grow up and do all of that stuff adults do I'll still love you. You were right," he whispered as his eyes glazed with unshed tears, "I should have said it sooner, but I promise you," he said voice growing stronger and more confident, "I won't let you forget. I won't run away. No one will keep me from loving you Tehya." He brought his lips to hers and kissed her as gently as he could. She brought a hand to his face and deepened the kiss laughing and choking on her own tears as well. He pulled away and kissed her eyes, her forehead and then captured her lips again. He licked her lips gently with his tongue and she opened her mouth in compliance. He dipped his tongue into her mouth, tasting how sweet she was. He lapped gently at her tongue and she rolled her's against his. She moaned softly in his mouth and the sound shot straight to his belly among other places. He ran his fingers through her hair pulling her closer to him. She broke away to look into his eyes and then she leaned over and kissed his neck. "Tehya," he breathed softly, as she began to suckle his neck gently. His hand went from cheek to shoulder and then settled at her hip. She pulled away just enough to see his eyes heavy and lidded looking down at her. She found that she loved the way he looked at her. She pressed his hand against his chest silently asking him to lie down. Without taking his eyes off her he laid down, pulling her against him. They lay like this for a few moments and then he felt her hand wander to the hem of his shirt tugging it upwards. Gabriel closed his eyes as she ran her hand up his shirt and began exploring his bare chest. A hand grazed a nipple softly and his breath hitched. She smirked and then leaned down to kiss him as she explored abs she hadn't been aware were there. This kiss was slightly more ravishing than the others. Tongues thrust deeper and hands gripped naked flesh tightly. Gabriel flipped them both over and Tehya grinned plucking the glasses from his eyes and resting them on the bedside table. He took her lips into another demanding kiss. She felt as if her whole body were quaking with energy. Every nerve ending was sparking and crackling like a fuse. All of her felt alive except…

"Gabriel?"

Eyes still hooded with desire he looked at her. "What's the matter Tehya?"

"What about…what about the rest of me," she whispered, "what if I don't feel anything?"

"Tehya…"

"I'm finally here with you and halfa me isn't working."

"Tehya we'll find a way won't we? Do you want to see where you stop feeling? "

Tehya bit her lip and nodded. Gabriel nodded and then kissed her nose to comfort her. Taking well-shaped hands, hands that were used to handling precious finery, glided gently over Tehya's body. They were curious hands but they never strayed from their purpose. They skimmed from neck, breast, making her arch into his hand slightly and him blush a little. Still strong and careful hands proceeded lower over flat belly over the curve of well-shaped hips and finally. He looked up at her his face his hands just between her legs. She nodded biting her lip nervously. He unzipped her jeans careful not to hurt her injured leg, and shimmied them off until she was in her panties. Though he was nervous as hell his hands never wavered and five fingers splayed out and cupped the juncture between her thighs. She whimpered softly as she arched into his hand. He looked at her face. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was slightly open in pleasure. He was making it happen to her and he reveled in the feeling. He stretched out over her capturing her lips with his own once again as he stroked her evermore confidently through her panties. He felt her moans and whimpers go down this throat and down to his belly. He nipped at her lips caught one between his own and began suckling softly. He could feel her body quiver beneath his own as he pulled down her panties. Again brown eyes met green.

'Are you sure' brown ones questioned with a hint of nervousness.

'Course I am, I'm with you ain't I' green ones twinkled back.

Tehya felt a finger enter her and she gasped softly. Gabriel looked at her worriedly but noticed that she was pushing into his hand. She wasn't hurting she was…she liked it. Relief washed over him with a wave. He pulled his finger out and pushed back in a little more quickly. More moans, another arch into his hand. He began to push in and out at a steady pace his hand becoming wet with her cum. She cooed and sighed contentedly as he pushed in and out of her. He pushed a little deeper and she stiffened. He looked up worriedly as her face scrunched up in pain.

"S'okay Gabriel," she whispered, "I'm, you know…"

"Me too," he smiled back awkwardly.

"I want it to be you Gabriel. Now pants off."

He nodded and began unzipping his corduroys. Shuffling out of those, and then his boxers, Tehya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Where the hell is that fitting," she panicked slightly, "my God Gabriel where the hell were you kee-" Gabriel was blushing furiously at his point not knowing whether he should be proud or disheartened. Tehya looked him the eye seeing his somewhat sad face. "Screw it…err screw me actually."

"What?"

"It's okay, right," she whispered tentatively as she touched his cheek, "we'll find a way."

He nodded as he positioned himself at her entrance. Another shared glance. Tentative smile. A snarky wink. He entered her slowly and she clenched her eyes preparing for what was to come.

She found that it hurt, but she grit her teeth as he pushed in further. He reached the point where she would be in pain. He looked at her his beautiful brown eyes questioning her one last time.

"Do it fast, 'kay." He nodded, pulled out and slammed into her.

Tehya quickly jammed her fist into her mouth to muffle her cry of pain. He stopped a shock of fear slamming into him like a train. He saw a tear slide down her cheek and he knew he couldn't continue despite how right it felt, being inside her. He made to pull out, but she had already taken her hand from her mouth and was holding his wrist.

"Stay," she let out in a breathy sigh, "I want this."

He nodded and pushed into her further until he was as far in her as was physically possible. Then he pulled out and pushed into her again. Again she winced in pain but she squeezed his wrist to tell him to keep going. Again and again. In and out Gabriel moved until painful whimpers were replaced by encouraging coos and long breathy moans. He moved faster into her and soon both their volumes were rising to the point that if they didn't want to get caught Gabriel had to swallow both of their moans with his mouth. As he pumped into her a curious hand snaked up her shirt and cupped a perfectly shaped breast. Her body snapped up to meet his encouragingly as caressed one breast and then the other. He lifted up her shirt and pulled down her bra since he couldn't figure out the clasps and began to suckle on her right breast gently. Her mouth no longer being plundered by Gabriel's demanding his tongue began murmuring his name in a steady mantra. Turned on by this he began to plunge harder into her body.

Tehya's whole body quaked with pleasure, energy snapped and crackled around them like a lightning storm. She had never felt this much energy around her, felt this good doing anything. Her body was on fire as pumped deeper and deeper into her. He kept hitting a spot she inside of her that made her see white and lose self-control. She had to slap her hand over her mouth as he bit her nipple and began suckling roughly. She was so close to something that she wasn't quite sure she could describe. The edges of her vision were going in and out of focus as tears spilled down her cheeks. It was pure ecstasy and she simply couldn't contain herself. She felt something gush out of her like liquid fire as all the built up feelings came to a breaking point. She cried out his name loudly her hand still covering her mouth. He pulled out too and came on her stomach having to shove a fist in his mouth as he did so. Unable to do much but gasp he lay down beside her breathing heavily.

After a few moments Gabriel turned on his side to look at her. She was practically glowing. Her skin was slick with sweat, her eyes still had a happy high look, and her mouth was a bright pink from being tugged and kissed. He rubbed her face gently with his hand, smiling lovingly.

"That was…"

"Yeah, I know," she finished softly.

"We should probably-"

"Yeah, we should probably get dressed."

"Yeah, you're right, kiss me again first though?"

She replied by pressing those very pink lips against his own catching his top lip between her own sucking on it gently. A heat rose in his chest and he pulled away.

"Nuh uh. We'll definitely get caught if we do it twice."

"In a row, at least," she said pulling up her bra and winking at him, "now let's get dressed and get to dinner."

"Yeah, I'm definitely hungry for something to eat now."

A/N: Alright one it is possible for people to play guitar with theirarm broken, and two I am fairly certain that despite the fact that Tehya is paralyzed…certain things are just fine.


	18. A Bite and a Bit of Love

Whew sorry guys for taking so long but I have been up and down alot of stories trying to update them, or start them....or yadda yadda. You get my drift. I didn't forget about this story, but there were other stories that I was trying to put to paper at the time, plus school and work so I've been all over the place. Anyway this chapter is the prelude to the super awesome cool exciting one that I will write later. I know, it should be longer after all the time I made you guys wait, but come on I've only got two hands and one brain and they can only do som any things. Anyway I do not own Heroes, Sylar, or the super hott Zach Quinto. Although i'm aware I could own Zach if I try hard enough!

Sitting at the table Gabriel couldn't help but feel a little awkward. It was not the family that bothered him, Mr. and Mrs. Harper were both wonderful people and Zaya was a really awesome kid, it was the fact that he could not for the life of him get a bite of food to his lips. Sitting at the table the family conversed in a way he and his parents never had. They laughed, threw food at each other, they even told jokes and funny stories. At his house, dinner was a solemn affair that was trudged through like guerilla warfare. The obligatory question, 'How was your day' was passed around like a live bomb set to detonate at any minute. He felt a sharp pang in his chest as he compared his family to Tehya's. Then he blushed and looked at her. He could still not believe that he and Tehya had been together only half an hour ago. The way her eyes were bright and the occasional glance sent his way let him know that she was thinking of earlier too. He knew that his parents would be disgusted with how he had conducted himself earlier. Actually, he thought wryly, it was the complete lack of conduct that had gotten him into bed with Tehya in the first place. He even remembered making the first move. That wasn't like him at all; going after what he wanted, damn the consequences. Usually it was Tehya or his parents that led him by the hand, but with her he felt like a much more daring person. It had felt natural, being with her, guiding her for once, just as natural as listening to her, he thought to himself as he finally managed to spear a stalk of broccoli with his fork.

"Something on your mind Gabriel," Mr. Harper asked him with a joking smile on his face.

"Sort of," he replied sheepishly, "I was…I was wondering, I…"

"Aha, told you mommy, daddy they like each other!"

"Zaya, you little demon," Tehya shouted a tinge of red rising to her cheeks.

Gabriel saw the two parents exchange knowing looks. Did they already suspect that he and Tehya were in love? And they approved? Once again Gabriel was baffled by the calmness that this house was enshrouded in. They were never uncomfortable around each other, open, and loved each other in a way that Gabriel had assumed only fake families on TV did. What he loved the most, though, was the way the parents were with one another. It was easy to see that the parents were completely in love with each other. They didn't even have to speak to each other to talk. They held hands sometimes and leaned against each other as they spoke with him and their children. He wanted that for him and Tehya one day.

"Mr. And Mrs. Harper I really…I really like Tehya and I was wondering if I could take her out. I mean, you could chaperone or whatever and I wouldn't do anything to-"

"You want to date our daughter," Mr. Harper said a slight hint of steel in his voice.

"Yes, sir, I do."

"You hurt her, I break your neck, understood?"

Gabriel gulped but clenched his fists determinedly, "I understand."

Instantly the mood shifted from interrogation back to family dinner, "Alright, got that out of the way. Tehya don't hurt the poor boy. Marlie, pass me some macaroni and cheese would you."

"What? I mean-"

"Gabriel you were at the hospital everyday for two weeks. You took care of our daughter and she's done so much to protect you. If you and our daughter want to go out then that's okay with us."

Gabriel was floored. He glanced over at Tehya who was smiling graciously at her parents. He looked at the three of them and felt almost incomplete. He was happy that they had granted him permission to take out Tehya, but at the same time he felt as if there was a gaping hole in his chest.

"May I be excused." He looked from to both parents.

Of course,"Marlie said smiling.

Tehya must have seen the look on his face because she also asked to be excused. They wandered off to the living room where Gabriel sat on the couch and Tehya wheeled beside him. Looking around Gabriel noticed there were family photos everywhere. There were some with a younger Tehya holding a little baby boy. There was one with her missing two of her teeth and grinning like a fool. There was one of Tehya's parents caught kissing, the picture was slightly blurry, Tehya must have taken it. There was one where she was wearing all black and appeared to be melancholy and wistful, but the shirt she was wearing said, 'Frown if you love black.' Tehya despite the fact that she did not have very many friends had made many memories with her family. Everywhere in this house there was love and laughter, support and comfort.

"What's the matter Gabe?Is it upstairs because if it-"

"I've always wanted this Tehya. I have always wanted to have a family like this."

"You mean...well I only got to met your mom once. Are they always like, you know,-"

"Cruel and unforgiving?" Gabriel chuckled darkly.

"Come on Gabe, they're only looking out for you the only way they know how. I mean they might be strict but-"

"Tehya, strict is when you ground your kid for staying out late. Strict is when they make sure you have a curfew that begins at nine. My parents they're never happy; not with me, not with their marriage, not with their neighbors, nothing. All they care about is making sure that I read the bible and work hard, and I don't mind it but...seeing you with your parents..." He trailed off, his head bowed miserably. Jealousy was a sin and yet he could not help but feel it.

"You can be who you are around them," he whispered,"every time I do something I worry about what they'll think, if they'll approve. Nothing is good enough for them, always I can do better and I just...I try, I really do."

"Stop it Gabriel." He looked up at her seeing a glint of something in her eyes that he wasn't really sure of.

"You're fine just the way you are and if your parents can't love you for that then they're blind. I know that I fuck up all the time, but my parents cheer me on all the same. You shouldn't have parents that are never satisfied with you, that's...that's just wrong, they should love you for you. Don't ever force yourself to be something you're not, it'll...it'll mess with you."

"Tehya..."

"Gabriel there's something I have to show you and I...I've been keeping it from you for a long time. I always thought that I should keep it to myself, but if we...if we're gonna be together then I have to tell you."

She got up abruptly and headed towards the back door in the kitchen.

"Hey, ma, me and gabe are just gonna hang out in the backyard ok?"

"Sure kid just grab a jacket, it's cold out there, and Gabriel make sure she doesn't run over anyone in that thing okay." Tehya grinned at the snide remark and popped a wheely.

"Yeah, yeah."

After Gabriel got Tehya and the chair down onto the lawn. She began to speak seriously again. "I'm different, you know."

"It's one of the reasons I love you." Gabriel squeezed her shoulder gently. She reached up and ran her fingers his own as if gathering strength. They remained like this for awhile and Gabriel wondered if she was afraid to tell him and then suddenly he felt something stirring in his chest. He felt strong, heady, and full of power. He looked down to see that Tehya had her eyes closed and was tightly squeezing his hand, breathing heavily as she did so. After a few more moments she let go and then he saw that the grass surrounding her chair was turning slightly brown. He saw her open her mouth slightly breathing in and exhaling. Her breathing soon slowed and she began to speak.

"I can transfer and use energy. I've been able to do it almost all my life, it was how I helped you in grade school back when we were kids. You remember?"

'Monster' he thought, but then in his heart he could almost feel how wrong that word sounded when referring to Tehya. He decided to take a leaf from her parent's book.

"Nice. Do you want to go to the movie's on Saturday? I mean, we could catch the bus and I could pay-"

"You aren't afraid of me." He could hear the mild surprise in her voice and he turned her chair to face him. He knelt down in front of her and took her face in his hands. She was weeping silently and he took his thumbs and carefully wiped away her tears. She took his hand and pressed her lips to his palm, he shivered slightly and closed his eyes. She pressed soft lips against his wrist and whispered softly. "I'll buy the popcorn."

"Deal," he whispered opening his eyes and leaning in to taste her.


	19. Stolen

though i wish that i owned sylar i don't. He belongs to the Heroes owner tim Kring...Zach Quinto...he will be mine come comiccon time!

Pounding headache.

It was the first sensation that awoke Tehya. It felt as if her head had been lying underneath several bricks and they were just now being removed. She couldn't see, the light was shining too brightly. Her mouth was thick and dry, she desperately wanted water, perhaps mom-

Then she realized that she couldn't remember what had happened or where her mother had gone. She couldn't seem to place any thoughts in the right order. What was going on? Indescribable pain tore through her forehead as she began to panic. Her heart thudded in her chest painfully, as she struggled to understand. She tried to roll over, tried to get her bearings but found that she couldn't move anything. Fear sizzled through like an electric current as she realized that her arms were strapped to her sides. She opened her mouth to scream, but a voice interrupted her.

"No one will hear you, I'm afraid."

The voice seemed to come from far away but it did not take away that coldness that seemed to course through it. She forced her throat to move, her lips to form words.

"Wh-who are you? "

"Oh, we're just people interested in your...abilities."

Thoughts of last night, was it last night? How long had she-

She began to trace over her day before. She could remember Gabriel. She tried to remember what had happened. They had been together, there had been dinner...but what else? There was something missing, something that she couldn't quite place. Why couldn't she remember what happened afterward?

"What did-"

"Lost in thought,"the voice asked coolly.

Tehya's eyes widened at the idea that they _knew_ what was happening to her, that she was forgetting. She tried to slow her breathing, tried to remember her martial arts training. She closed her eyes and tried to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Perhaps if she could sense him she could use her powers and force him to let her go. She smirked inwardly and began to-

Nothing.

And for the first time since she was conscious she realized one painful fact. She could not sense anything. She was completely cut off from everything and everyone. She was hollow and alone and most importantly helpless. She couldn't help herself, she shrieked loudly.

How could there not be anything?

How could she not feel?

She began to shiver all over, her heart was trying to claw itself out of her ribcage, her eyes flew open and tears coursed down her cheeks. To have something that had been there all her life stripped away was sending her body crashing. She could hear footsteps, whispers coming closer. She began to toss and turn with all her might, anything to keep them away from her.

"Stay away from me! Stay AWAY!"

"She's going into shock, get me the sedatives, my friend."

The footsteps moved faster and finally a shadow fell over her. She wriggled beneath the silhouette trying to escape but wriggling was all she could do. A syringe erupted from the shadowy figure and she began to scream uncontrollably. The syringe came swiftly.

She couldn't feel.

She couldn't move.

There was only darkness.

............................

................

She was in a dream state, weightless and alone. There was nothing in the darkness, nothing to worry about, no one asking for her, nothing. She could stretch out and away and find a freedom that could not be obtained in the waking world. It was almost like the dream was a figurative sigh of relief. There was nothing even remotely pressing to think about and so she let herself drift farther and farther away.

...............

............................

There was something niggling the edge of her mind. There was something that was trying to break through the calm and she was certain that it was important. In fact, she knew that it was important, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back. Here, in this place there was nothing and she was nobody. She didn't have so much pressure, why not just let someone else handle the problem. She deserved a rest didn't she?

...............

............................

A voice was calling her and she could feel a strange sensation throughout her body. Something was happening on the outside, someone was trying to wake her. Perhaps, it was mom or dad, maybe even Zaya, silly kid. But hadn't they disappeared? Wasn't she somewhere else? maybe she shouldn't think about that just yet, let it rest for awhile.

What about Gabriel?

Her eyes opened slowly and she was slightly pleased to note that the lights were dim. The voice was louder and much clearer now that she was focusing on it. It was a man and he was talking to her. It was the impression that she was getting but she had yet to make sense of the words that were being directed to her. She took a deep breath and concentrated.

"You're awake. That's very good Tehya. Can you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes," she whispered hoarsely.

"Good, now we're just a group of scientists trying to help people like you."

"Uh huh..."

"We observed you, out in the yard a few days ago and we thought that you would like to get better at using your powers."

"Alright, but I can...I can only do little things."

"It's alright we'll take it slow alright?"

"Okay."

The man was about in his late thirties and had short clipped sand colored hair. His eyes were a crystalline blue and seemed to be taking her apart methodically. She shivered beneath the intense gaze but did not look away. She made to sit up and found that she was no longer in her bonds. As she moved a wave of nausea passed through her but she fought it off.

"The drugs will take a few minutes to fully wear off so take it easy."

"Why...why did you drug me?"

"Our location is secret and would you really have come willingly," he joked lightly as he rested his hand on her shoulder.

"And my powers, how did you-"

A young man about twenty or a little older emerged from farther in the room. He had dark skin and dark brown eyes. His head was shaved and he looked at her with what Tehya thought was only mild interest.

"My friend here is ability is to make the abilities of others around him not work. He was near you earlier and i'm sorry if this frightened you."

"You said abilities of others. How many others are there? Like me?"

"We're not sure but we help the ones that we can find."

In Tehya's mind she was trying to figure out if the man was trustworthy. His voice, though it implied honesty and sincerity, seemed a bit off. She knew that if she could sense him she would know whether he was telling the truth, but the younger man was blocking everything. She couldn't help and shudder at how naked she felt without her powers. However, she did believe that the man was being honest about there being others like her. If she and her brother could have powers why not others scattered across the globe. All she wanted to know was how they had found her. She lived in New York, an extremely populate state and for them to _find _her...it seem off. She felt a little bit together now that she was sitting up and talking and decided to really figure out what this guy was up to.

"You said you could help me with my abilities, how?"

"I can't say that this will be easy, but how about learning to walk again."

Tehya looked down at her legs. She could see herself walking, running to Gabriel, hopping down the stairs on the way to school. She knew that if she was ever granted the chance to walk again she would take it.

"What do I have to do?"

A/N hmmm...i think this is what most people would call a cliffhanger. sorry for the last chapter. i know that it wasn't my best but it had been awhile since I touched this story and I had to get into my flow. If you've read any of my other fics then you know that I change my writing style often. I have no idea whay I'm into the whole self torture kick but ya know what can you do. I've been trying to update all my fics in a timely fashion. except for one of my batman fics i kept forgetting that one until recently. but anyway i digress. I will update every few days or so...so don't think ive abandoned the story. anyways thanks for putting up with me...

JOKERFEST


	20. Learning

Geez guys sorry for not updating I've been getting hit hard between the school assignments, and the holiday thing. I didn't forget you guys though its just been kind of hard getting time away to write a story. Anway I hope you enjoy it! Oh yeah I do not ownz Heroes, but I do however own Tehya...at least someone gets Gabriel, huh?

"Good, Tehya, you're doing extremely well. Now I want you to try and take that energy and aim it."

Tehya gritted her teeth, doing her best to take the energy from the boiling water and applying it to the small rabbit in the cage, temporarily making it stronger.

She had been training with Noah for days, learning the exact nature of her powers. They were in a contained training room that seemed to be specifically designed to cater to her ability. There was an assortment of plants and small animals that held energy for her to borrow. She knew enough about her powers to know when she was hurting the animals and Noah had never asked her to go beyond a simple sampling of the creatures' power. Right now he was helping her to understand the different ways in which her power could be applied. Alone, she had always thought that the energy had to be pulled into herself before being exerted onto something else. It turned out that she could transfer energy from one object to another without being the conduit. This erased her fear of being overcome by the thirst. She didn't have to hunger for that power, and she was glad that Noah had shown her a safer way.

"Okay, Tehya that was excellent!"

"Now, let's try this out," Noah said as he led pushed her wheelchair to the other end of the room.

She beamed as she wiped a sheen of sweat from her brow. It was the end of the room the two of them had been working toward. It was the end of the room that would help her to walk to Gabriel. She was ready.

-----------------------

Five days. Tehya had been missing for five days and Gabriel was worried sick. Since she had shown him her powers it was if she had disappeared from the face of the earth. He briefly wondered if she was avoiding him, but after his accepting her ability he knew that shouldn't be the case. What was even stranger was that her parents did not even seem the least bit concerned. They went to work, played with Zaya, and when he asked after her their reply was, 'She's just gone to get a well deserved break' Gabriel had no idea what that meant. Finally desperate for answers, Gabriel turned to the only person that he felt would have any ideas about Tehya's whereabouts.

"A man took her."

"A man?"

"Yup, a tall man came and took her away. I tried to stop him but my pow- I mean...nothing."

"Zaya?"

The little boy scuffed his feet nervously on the pavement as Gabriel walked him home from the bus stop. Gabriel could tell that the little boy was battling with something in his mind. He waited quietly for the boy to come to a decision.

"The man 'napped Tehya! I keep telling my parents but its like their brain's got zapped or somethin'. They don't 'member nothin'! The man tried to make me forget too, but my powers didn't let him. I'm the only one that knows that Tehya isn't on any trip at all!"

At this point Zaya was sobbing loudly his head buried in his small hands. Gabriel didn't have any younger siblings though he had always wanted one, still he knew that there was only one way to comfort the boy. He wrapped his arms around him, picked him up, and let the poor boy cry on his shoulder. He patted the boys back gently until the sobs broke down into faint hiccups and light breathing. On the inside he was just as scared and upset as Zaya, but he couldn't let the boy see that. He couldn't let Zaya seem him tear his hair out and scream. His forehead furrowed lightly as he tried to think of a way to rescue Tehya. There was no doubt in his mind that he would have to hunt down the bastards who had stolen her and make them pay.

"Zaya," he said gently as he set the boy down to his feet. He kneeled so that they were face to face as he spoke to him. "What is your power exactly?"

Zaya rubbed his eyes and set his face into a look of determination. Gabriel saw a glimmer of Tehya's indominable will in his eyes.

"Come on, Tehya always said that we can't be out in public. Let's go to the backyard.

-------------------

What awaited Tehya at the end of the room was a person. He was about twenty and also had a power. She wasn't told what it was and was supposed to acquire its energy source and use it against him. She gulped slowly hoping that she would be ready to do this. She wanted to be able to handle her abilities without hurting anyone. After all the things that she had done she was certain that she was ready, but the nervousness still lingered. At the end of the room was a man with light blond hair cut closely to his scalp. He had deep blue eyes and straight white teeth that were curved into a mocking smile. He glanced at her his eyes sparkling with barely suppressed rage, but still his mouth leered.

"Well hello there Noah, little miss."

"My name's Tehya. You don't have to call me miss."

"Ah, but all the same the situation calls for such formality, doesn't it Noah?"

Tehya glanced at the restraints that kept him bound to his chair. What had he done to warrant such harsh treatment. As if reading her thoughts Noah began to list his crimes to her.

"Tehya, this man's name is Adam Monroe. He has in the past tried to commit global homicide, the said race he wanted to destroy, was all human beings. He was planning on releasing this deadly virus and was apprehended for his crimes. We keep him here so that he won't harm anyone else, but for now you are to see if you can take his energy from him."

"You...you...how can a person do that?"

"Because I can't die, now little miss if you would just carry on."

She huffed angrily and closed her eyes calming herself down. She began to feel for the energy that was coiled within him. She raised an eyebrow at what she found but got over her surprise quickly. She began to draw on the energy, pulling it from one tug at a time. She heard him cry out sharply and opened her eyes to see what damage had been done. She gasped and saw that his skin had taken on a sickly grayish hue. He eyes were bulged in a comic way but Tehya found that she could not laugh. The way his veins showed underneath his skin made her want to gag and she found that she couldn't take anymore.

"I can't...I just can't."

She let her hunger subside slowly and hung her head in defeat. She felt a reassuring hand squeeze her shoulder. "Look up."

"I can't. I killed him."

"Killed who, little miss?"

Her head snapped up and she saw Adam sitting there, looking as healthy as before. She smiled despite who he was and touched him tentatively with her hand.

"You're alright!"

He grinned, this time his blue eyes sparkling happily. For a moment she simply couldn't believe that he was ever capable of hurting anyone. Surely Noah had been wrong.

"So are you! Go ahead take a look," Adam said as he pointed to her feet.

Tehya grimaced in preparation for disappointment, but looked at her toes all the same. She didn't think of them moving, just simply observed them. She didn't want to try and wiggle her toes and have to suffer through them not moving. She wasn't sure if she could take that. It had been bad enough the first time, having the doctor hover over her and her mother. He had flipped through her charts shaking his head as he did so. After a few more agonizing he began to talk in words that Tehya failed to hear. She remembered hearing her mother screaming and sobbing into her shoulder and her normally calm father was screaming profanities at the doctor yelling at him to leave. She just sat there frozen, unable to move, unable to think, she felt as if her lungs were completely devoid of air. She was broken.

And now they were trying to tell her that she could walk again. She concentrated on her toes, scared to death of failing.

"I can't," she whispered softly.

"Come on then love, just try."

"What if it didn't work," she said glancing at Noah, Adam, and then back at her feet," what if I really am broken?!?"

"Nothing to lose then, little miss."

Adam looked at her with what she realized was sincerity. He wanted this to work. She tried a wiggle, expecting it to fail. Nothing happened and she had to bite here cheeks to keep from sobbing aloud.

"Try again," Noah said encouragingly.

She tried to send signals to her feet and prayed silently that it would work. Her big toe twitched slightly. Her hand raced to her mouth as she choked back a sob. She shook with happiness, and tried to wiggle her toe again. It moved at her command and she laughed aloud this time. She looked back at Adam who was smiling broadly and then looked to Noah who had a smile of approval on his face.

"Thank you. Thank you both for doing this!"

"Of course Tehya, but now you have to something for us. That is if you don't mind."

"No! Of course not! You really helped me, I owe you!"

Tehya turned to Adam whose smile had disappeared. He looked worried and she saw that he shook his head slightly as if to warn her.

------------------

Gabriel touched the dust of what was once a football. There was no denying that Zaya was extremely powerful. The boy didn't even seem to be putting forth effort when used his power. Gabriel glanced back at Zaya who was once again looking down at his sneakers. It seemed that Tehya had drilled the boy into hiding his power. She had warned him about the dangers of being open about their powers, and it was ingrained into his mind now.

"Thank you Zaya, for showing me this."

"Your welcome."

"How long have you been able to do this?"

"Tehya said that I been doin' it since I was two. She said she had to borrow my powers so that I wouldn't do it around mom and dad."

"We have to find her Zaya, before something horrible happens to her."

"What should we do?"

"I don't know, but we have to think of something."


	21. Missed

First off I give ALL OF YOU full permission to kick my ass. You deserve to do it and I totally deserve it for taking so damn long. I am completely sorry to all you avid readers who wanted to wring my neck. I deserve that too. And another thing...I had this chapter just sitting around unfinished, like a complete loser. But yeah I SWEAR SWEAR SWEAR I will not leave it just lying around this time. I got plans for these characters. So, if you're not completely disowning me, feel free to comment, give me a sound tongue lashing. And with that said: I do not own Zach Quinto, Heroes, yadda yadda they belong to Tim Kring...aka lucky bastard.

She looked at the shoes she was wearing. They were black converses, the leather kinds that made you feel almost invincible. She turned her feet from side to side examining them. Really, it was less the shoe and more the fact that she could move her legs at all. Tehya had resigned herself to her fate, had expected to be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life unless she killed someone.

"You ready Tehya?"

"Yeah, but are you sure that I should be doing this?"

"It's what the Company needs right now. They're trying to help her use her powers better."

"Alright," Tehya said squaring her shoulders. Standing up she brushed off her jeans and followed Noah to the lower levels of the facility. It was strange, she thought as she followed him, amazed that all of this resided in a paper factory. She knew that she had to keep her powers a secret, but never knew that there had been others that went through even _greater_ lengths to stay hidden. The rooms were mostly the same, tinted black, seemingly empty. For a brief moment she thought of what the rooms could be hiding, that look on Adam's face had made her realize that there were questions that she should be asking but wasn't.

"Here we are."

It looked like all the other rooms that they had passed. The only difference was that the light was on. Inside of the room there was a girl around her age, possibly younger sitting in the corner. She wore jeans and a Beatles tshirt. Her hair was long and blond, and she looked extremely angry. In fact, her face was red with rage and she looked as if she were screaming. Tehya guessed that the glass was sound proof, more for everyone else's benefit rather than the girl's.

"What's the matter with her?"

"Let's just say she didn't come onto her powers as easily as you did. It's been a real struggle for Elle, and with your abilities we were wondering if you could help her."

"I'll do my best."

"I know you will," Noah said a smile on his face. Noah punched in a code on a keypad beside the door and pushed it open. He gestured for her to go in before him, and she did with a little caution. The screams were startling after not being able to hear anything from her only moments before.

"Elle! Elle! I brought someone here to see you!" Noah guided Tehya to Elle, hoping to gain her attention. The blond girl blinked back tears and looked over at Tehya. Tehya returned a look she hoped was friendly and calm. She didn't want to scare the girl back into hysterics.

"Did daddy send her?"

"No, she came as a friend, isn't that right Tehya?"

"Yeah, my name's Tehya Harper, nice to meet you." Tehya stuck out her hand, not really expecting a handshake, but not wanting to be rude.

"I can't, I'm still trying to get all my powers figured out. I mean-well- daddy said I wouldn't hurt anyone." Elle stuck out her hand and Tehya took it in a gentle handshake. At the contact an instant spark of pain shot its way from her hand to the top of her head.

"Ow! That hurt," Tehya said pulling her hand close to her chest.

"Sorry." Tehya eyed the girl suspiciously noting that she looked anything but sorry.

------------------

Gabriel and Zaya went weren't really sure where to begin their search for Tehya. Zaya mentioned that his and Tehya's power were so alike that he could sort of 'figure out when she's close' but so far there was nothing. They had briefly considered going to the police, but with both of her parents insisting that she was away at camp it would be hard for them to explain her being kidnapped.

After two more days it seemed painfully clear that they weren't going to find Tehya.

"Gabriel? The man will give her back, won't he?"

"I want to say yes, Zaya, but I don't know. I jus-I just want her back!" Gabriel quivered with rage. He wasn't sure what to do. He wasn't sure how to bring the men out, how to get them to come back.

"I got an idea. Maybe if they...see me using my powers-"

"No! We can't your sister would kill me if she knew I got you involved!"

"They won't come back without me doin' it! We hafta try!"

"We don't know what they'll do, Zaya."

"Yeah, we do," the little boy said a new strength coming into his eyes, "they'll come after me. Then we can get back Tehya!"

Gabriel sighed. He hadn't wanted it to come to this. He had thought of the plan awhile ago, himself, but the idea of getting a five year old involved with some sort of kidnapping mind stealing organization, hadn't seemed like a good idea. But now it was obviously the only idea left to them.

"Alright, but we have to be ready to fight them."

"You have to hide Gabriel, I have to fight. You don't got no powers,'member?"

"If I did I would be doing this instead."

"I know," the little boy said his smile revealing his missing teeth. God, Gabriel, thought looking at him' he looks so much like his sister.' He had the same piercing gaze, though his eyes were bright hazel. His hair resembled his sister's back when she was young, but it had a few blond streaks that shone in the sun. To think the power to turn things to dust, was in a child so small, blew Gabriel away.

"Let's go home today, plan out everything, and then we can try and lure them here tomorrow."

" 'Kay."

--------------------

"Easy, now try again," Tehya said as she watched the girl zap the glass pane.

Tehya was now something of Elle's coach. She helped her to control her powers by siphoning off a little of it. She observed the crackling energy around the girl, watched it leap constantly out of her control, and without thinking she altered it. It wasn't something she had ever done, but once she had done it, she realized that it was simple. She used a sliver of her own energy to restrict the volatile powers that Elle had, and the energy seemed to stay, like a fingerprint. Now the hardest part was getting Elle to believe she was in control.

"I'm trying, but what if I shock you or something?"

"Didn't have a problem with that before."

"You're my friend now, it matters."

Tehya smiled softly and rested her hand on Elle's shoulder.

"I'm glad."

A zap of electricity made Tehya yelp in pain.

"Well it matters, but I'm still a little new at this."

Tehya grinned and rubbed her hand back to life.

"Practice makes perfect."


	22. Everything Gone

I do not own Heroes, but the smexy devilishly browed Zach Quinto is up for grabs ain't he??? Lol hope you guys like this one!

"It seems the boy possesses the same power as the girl, but stronger."

" I see potential in them both."

"Arthur are you sure that they can be saved?"

"Yes, we can have them both let me make a call."

"Yes, dear, but what of Gabriel?"

"He doesn't seem to be exhibiting any powers, Angela. We'll just have the Haitian wipe his memories, and he can continue life as a normal child."

"That does seem to be the best course of action. I'll have the agents deployed right away."

----------------------

Hey, Tehya, how are you enjoying helping out with the Company?"

"It's great," Tehya beamed as she continued walking down the hall with Noah,"I didn't know that I could help people control their abilities like that!"

"Yes, I saw, and Elle seems to be coming along quite nicely now."

"Uh huh, yeah, I told her if she keeps working on it, she might be able to shake peoples' hands without shocking them...then again I think she was just messin' with me."

"Elle does do that sometimes," Noah said softly.

"So, is it alright if I go home now? I think I have a better handle on my powers now, and I want to see..."

"Hmm?"

"Never mind."

Tehya sighed softly as she thought about running back home and seeing her family. They would be overjoyed that she was better again, a little freaked out sure, but they would still be grateful. She would be able to go out on normal dates with Gabriel, and they could go to the dance together. She could even go back to her martial arts classes, wouldn't her senseis be surprised? Tehya looked up abruptly as another agent walked towards them. He had stark grey hair and looked almost like someone that had stepped out of the godfather. When he spoke Tehya couldn't help but think he sounded like one as well.

"Noah."

"Thompson," Noah nodded back.

Tehya watched the exchange with interest. Was this Noah's superior or something?

"I have some bad news for you Tehya." He looked down at her, and she suddenly felt as if a heavy weight had fallen in her stomach. She clenched her fists nervously. The man's energy was roiling unhappily, and just that had her standing on edge.

"What is it?"

"Your parents...there was a shooting at a convenient store they had gone to. We managed to deploy several agents at the scene, but we had only gotten there in time to save your brother and his friend."

"My parents...are dead?"

"I'm sorry."

"Ha. No, they-people just don't-. They're not dead! You're lying!"

"Tehya," Noah said resting a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged it off. She backed away from them, her energy going off madly in other directions. She clutched her head trying to contain her powers, but it was if they were spiraling out of control.

"No! This wasn't supposed to happen! They were at home, they were fine, and dammit! Dammit! It's not fair!" Tehya's energy shattered one of the cell glasses. The thick glass fell inward and Thompson had to jump in and make sure the inmate was still subdued.

"Tehya, you have to control your power!"

"I'm trying, Noah! I'm trying, but-my _family_," she began to whisper, "I was gonna to walk to them...I was gonna go to the dance...with Gabriel."

Her eyes closed as her energy slowly closed around her in a tight swirl. She sat down and looked at her legs. Her throat felt as if it were clenching in on itself, her chest hurt, and her heart moved sluggishly. She didn't want to move, didn't want to get up.

"You said my brother and a friend..."

"Yeah, about your age," Thompson called back to her as he confirmed the inmate was still unconscious. He opened the door and stepped through, shaking glass off his suit as he did so,

"And...they're okay?"

"Yes, perfect, a few scratches or two, a little disoriented, but after what happened..."

"Yeah. Where are they?"

"They were turned over to the police. We were only there as extra protection."

"Alright. Is it okay if I go see Adam?"

"Adam," Thompson questioned as he looked over at Noah.

"Yeah, I-he helped me out, and I-he just seems like he wouldn't mind listening."

"We'll go see Adam then," Noah offered Tehya his hand, and she accepted. She wasn't positive, but the idea that both of her parents died in a convenient store robbery seemed a bit farfetched. Adam could perhaps shed a little light on what was going on, and if it wasn't an accident.

There would be hell to pay.

-----------------------

Gabriel woke up and found himself at a police station. He briefly wondered what he was doing there. Shouldn't he have been at home? He glanced up when a police officer approached him.

The badge read Davis. He looked up at the portly man, and briefly wondered again why he was here.

"Hey, son," the officer said pulling up a seat iat the desk.

"Uh...h-hi officer."

"Aw, don't be nervous, just uh, had to ask a few questions about the incident at the Quik Mart."

"What?"

"Some of the details, of the incident. I know that you and the boy saw the murder, and-"

"Murder? I don't know what you're talking about. What am I doing here! Did I do something wrong?"

"What's your name kid?"

"Gabriel...Gray."

The officer took out a pen and notebook and began to scribble in it furiously. Gabriel watched as the man wrote in the notebook, and he began to get nervous. What had happened? What incident was the officer talking about? And what little boy?

"Alright, uh Gabriel," the officer said gently ," I want you to go over to Joe over there. Talk to her for a second, she'll help get your facts straight." The officer pointed over to a room in the back of the bustling precinct.

"I don't-I don't understand? What did I do?"

"Nothing kid, just...tell 'em what happened."

Gabriel closed his eyes and opened them, and was only mildly surprised that nothing had changed.

------------------

"Adam, hey!"

Tehya saw Adam once again restrained in his chair. She knew that she wouldn't have time to ask her question directly, but she knew that if she let slip enough she could get her point across. She looked back at the glass, and knew that Noah was watching them both carefully. Whether if it was for her safety or to make sure she wasn't suspicious was what she was about to find out.

So, she was going to make it quick.

"My parents are dead, know anything useful?"

Adam nodded grimly a knowing expression on his face before speaking. "Hope you make it out of 'ere little miss. Come closer."

Tehya leaned in as Noah began entering the code to get back inside.

"Find the invisible man, with a power like yours won't matter whether you can see 'im or not. Feel 'im out, yeah?"

"I will. I'd set you loose too, but-"

"Think nothing of it, just give 'em hell for me won't you?"

Tehya smirked. Her energy already eating away at everything near. Before she left she gave Adam a peck on the cheek. "Thanks for everything."

"Good luck, little miss."

She forced out her energy from the lights and the security system and sent it towards the glass in a vicious wave. The glass exploded in a thousand sparks of light and crackles. She saw Noah his gun drawn and pointed at her.

"I trusted you!"

"You had to be contained! Don't make me do this!"

"Do what? Take my parents from me, you sick bastard!?!" Tehya stepped closer drawing energy from Noah as she neared. His hand wavered and the gun fell. Finally when he had fallen to his knees, she stopped.

"If you think for **one** moment that I'm gonna let you down easy," she punched him in the face his nose giving a satisfying crunch," you've got another thing coming." Tehya looked around and noticed other agents swarming down the halls. Her energy snapped eagerly, ready for battle.

A/N Hey guys I felt that I owed you two chapters. Things are finally heating up, and yes...Gabriel did lose his memory. To what extent you'll find out later on, well next chapter. Anyway I hope that you enjoyed this one, I certainly felt it flowed from the figners easily enough. As always read and review!


	23. Imploring the Confused

Okay so it's true, Tim Kring does own Heroes, and did not gift wrap Zach Quinto for me. Though the latter would have been extrememly pleasing. Mmmmm Zach! Ahem Anyway, on with the story!

"Hi, nice to meet you, do you know why you're here?"

"Umm, not sure, Officer Davis, said something about a Quik Mart."

"Yes, the robbery."

"I don't understand what does that have to do with me?"

"You're a witness, or at least according to the tapes. We've been asking everyone about what they've seen."

"But...I haven't seen anything. I wasn't at the Quik Mart. I don't have any idea what you're talking about!"

"We have video showing you at the robbery Gabriel, with a little boy, Zaya Harper."

"But I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Gabriel-"

"I honestly can't help you," Gabriel panicked as he climbed out of his chair," I don't remember _any_ of this!"

"You can't...remember?"

"No, I can't! I can't- please just-the last thing I remember I was home!"

Gabriel tried to think back to the last thing he had done, but there were things missing. He knew there was. He remembered waking up, getting dressed, eating with his family, but then as soon as he stepped out of the front door...

"I can't remember anything."

"And the little boy that was with you? He seems to know about you."

"I keep telling you, I don't know any little boy!"

--------------------

"You're in my way," Tehya growled as she knocked another agent to the side. Another one approached her gun raised and she glared angrily at him, steadily drinking all of his energy in. She had never had so much power before. Her whole body thrummed with energy, and she craved more. The people in their cells, the people running in the halls, people with powers, people without, the lights, all of it belonged to her. She looked at how far her energy reached, how it outlined all of the halls, how it draped over the entire complex. She could feel people moving everywhere, feel the anger, the fear, the nervousness.

Hungry.

She had never lost complete control, knew there was too much at stake, but there was nothing here that she was afraid to destroy. She pounded against walls, sucked the life out of several people until they were husks. When she felt even a twinge of guilt she thought of her parents, and then continued on.

But as she walked she remembered that she still had to find the invisible man. Adam had never thought to mention where the man would be. And was he invisible all the time? What if she walked right by him,visible, and she missed him? Turning back in the hall she went past the trail of unconscious bodies to where she had left...

"Noah, get the hell up!" Tehya hefted him up, her hands locked quite firmly around his throat. He was groggy, but she slapped him across the face in hopes of snapping him out of it.

"Te-Tehya.."

"Yes, me. I have a question to ask you."

"You won't get anything from me!"

"No, now you're wrong. So let's get started." A man came running at them gun in hand as she held Noah. Tehya glanced at him as he grasped his chest and fell to the floor.

"Where's the invisible man?"

"I don't-I don't know what you're talking about," Noah spurted defiantly as blood burbled from his lips. Tehya could see his fear roiling around in waves around him, his anger.

"You're feeling exactly how I feel Noah. I'm alone, right here, with no one to help me. I got someone to fight for, but I'm not even close to him, and my human side..."

"Human," Noah laughed bitterly, "look at what you've done!"

Tehya shook him angrily and dropped him to the ground. She couldn't kill him, she couldn't even be properly angry at him, because he was right. She was becoming a monster. People were lying dead in the hallways because of her actions. She didn't have it in her to take the answer from him. She peeled off the shoes he had given her for her first steps.

"I am sorry, you know," she whispered softly.

Barefoot she began running down the hallways, flying really. A blur of movement and speed, her eyes roved about sharply searching for a man that she couldn't see. Arms outstretched, pushing enemies down to the ground, shattering glass, sparking electricity, she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"PLEASE! HELP ME! INVISIBLE MAN, HELP MEEEEE!" Tears streamed down her face as she ran through corridor after corridor. There didn't seem to be an end to the labyrinth, to the madness. She felt sick with power and she just wanted it to stop. It was getting to be too much, her head throbbed, and the drunken feeling of power was quickly giving way to pain. With one final tortured cry she fell to her knees as the power erupted outward and away. The lights glowed brightly and the sparks flew slapping against the floors. Glass shattered and skittered across the tiles, rainbow colors whizzing past. Tehya was tired as she felt all of the power leave her in a rush. Her legs wobbled and as an agent came racing toward her she shook her head violently. The tears wouldn't stop coming.

"I want...

....

...my family."

And then she fell.

Madness, all of it...

-----------------------------

" 'ey girl wake up!"

A light smack landed against Tehya's face and she coughed violently. She rubbed at her face and cracked a yawn that she could have sworn could have split her face in half. She coughed a little and then opened her eyes.

"Ahh, sleeping beauty decided to wake up did she? Up, up, up time's wasting." The man yanked her to her feet.

"And bloody barefoot, daft too I guess."

"Didn't want those shoes," Tehya said sluggishly as she wobbled unsteadily.

"Aye, but what's more important," the man whispered softly," walking or pride?"

"Who're you anyways," Tehya said gruffly as she clutched her head.

"Name's Claude Raines, but for all intents and purposes I am your invisible man."

Tehya's eyes widened and then she smiled crookedly. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she passed out again. As relieved as she was to meet him, fatigue won out. Claude sighed and threw her over his shoulder. There was still a matter of her brother that needed attending to, and she'd have to be at her best before she could help him.

---------------------

Gabriel's mother was beside herself. She hugged Gabriel fiercely as they walked to the car. Gabriel hugged back, but not as tightly, nor as desperately as she. He couldn't help but remember the hysterical boy who had ran at him earlier. The way the boy had carried on, it was as if he knew him, but he would have remembered that, surely?

_"Gabriel! Gabriel! It was them, it was them!"_

_"I'm sorry but do I know you?"_

_"No...Gabriel! Gabriel! You have to save Tehya! You have to, you have to!"_

_"You hafta 'member my sister!"_

_"I'm sorry, I really am bu-"_

_"B-but she loves you...how could you forget?"_

_"I'm really sorry."_

_"I'm...gonna miss you big brother."_

"- get you home, and pray that you...are you listening Gabriel!?!"

"Huh? Yes, mother, I was just thinking about the little boy at the station."

"You should count yourself lucky, someone was watching over you!"

_I'm watching over you Gabriel._

"Yeah, I guess someone was."

"Oh, Gabriel, my special boy. Your father and I are just so happy that you're alright!"

Gabriel nodded and then looked back at the station one last time. He wasn't quite sure what was happening but he really hoped that the little boy turned out alright.

A/N Okay guys that's a third chapter, I'm really on a roll I guess. Anyway for all intents and purposes Claude saved Tehya, she was the one he went rogue for. And yes, she did pretty much decimate the underground of the Company. I was thinking of doing a showdown between Tehya and the Haitian in this chapter and decided to just have an all out meltdown with Tehya. She needed to vent a little. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter and as always review when you're done. Oh yeah btw I had the chapter done awhile ago, but freaking kept saying ooo there's a technical glitch, check back in a few minutes!!! ALL LIES BTW!!!! I've BEEN WAITING FOR NEARLY THREE DAYS...ahem anyway. I finally decided to just replace an old document with the latest one and try to upload it that way.


	24. Another Note from the Author

Alright guys so there are only a few chapters left to this story...

Ha! Scared you guys for a second didn't I? Well, don't worry I am making a sequel where Gabriel and Tehya will be adults, and then we'll see how they'll handle each other then. So be on the look out for that once you see the little complete logo beside Hunger. Anyway that's all I wanted to say about that.

-Jokerfest


	25. Adaptations

Alright guys well another chapter is here for ya, and I'm actually pleased I've been able to keep up with my story thus far. I also would like to mention that I do not own any of the Heroes characters, but...I still have a contract out on Za- I mean nothing...

Tehya woke again, her head only slightly hurting. She was alright with this considering that after the way she over worked herself she had expected her whole head to be splitting open. She simply lay where she was, wherever that was, and let her energy softly play out around her. She just didn't feel like moving, every muscle slightly ached like she'd taken a strenous run and the thoughts of what she had done paced through her mind like a guilt parade.

"Know your awake, love, now get out of bed."

"Ughhhh,"Tehya grumbled in response as she turned to her side and got more comfortable. 'Bed, huh' she could get used to that. She let her energy roil around lazily touching over the invisible man. He seemed a little perturbed, but it was probably because she wasn't moving, and he wasn't going to wait. So when he pushed her off the bed she was only mildly surprised.

"Oww! That hurt," she yelled as she rubbed her back.

"Well, that is kind of the point. Now get off your arse, you've got things to do."

"Like what," Tehya snapped back.

"Like your brother or did you forget about tha' already?"

"Shutup! I didn't...I didn't forget. I want to save him-I just..."

"Scared?"

"Ugh, what do you know, anyways?"

"I know you asked for me help, an' I helped you. Now whether or not, you're up to it, s'not my problem."

Tehya got to her feet and looked down to see a bandage on her wrist, she glanced around the sparse flat, and saw a plant. She let her energy run through and borrow a little to heal the pesky wound. Afterwards she removed the bandage to reveal a small V shaped scar.

"Neat trick, that. But you're gonna have to do better than that to run from the Company."

"Run, I'm not running! They killed my parents, those fuckers are not getting away from me!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes! They can't just kill people like that!"

"And how are ya gonna go about findin' them then?"

"Well you found them didn't you?"

"That is cos I work for them."

"You what!?!" Tehya backed away, she hit a small table behind her and knocked over a lamp. It crashed to the floor, and she looked away distracted. It was in that moment that Claude rushed her, and knocked her to the ground. She landed on her side with a thump, glass spiking into her arms. She clenched her teeth around her whimper of pain, and glared up at Claude.

"You, my dear are depending far too much on your powers. If you want to beat the Company you have. to. be. smart."

"Fine."

"Good, now get yourself cleaned up, breakfast's ready."

-----------------

Zaya sat in the chair kicking out his feet anxiously. He should have been out looking for Tehya but here he was with this woman explaining over and over again about how his parents were murdered. He never really understood adults, well at least other than his parents. Why did they bother asking what you thought if they didn't believe you? Or didn't care? Didn't people ask questions because_ they_ _wanted_ to hear what you had to say?

"So you believe that the robbery was only a setup?"

"I guess...is a setup something that you mean to do?"

"That's one way of saying it."

"The robbers weren't really robbing the place, they were lookin' for me 'n Gabe."

"They were after you," the woman said a tone of disbelief in her voice.

"Yes! Why don't you believe me?"

"Well it seems a little far-fetched."

"Far what!?!"

"Hard to believe?"

"Oh, well-it's still true!"

"I'm sure that's what you believe. Now about your sister-"

"Don't want to talk about her." Zaya crossed his arms his lips quivering. He didn't want to talk about her because he was almost positive that the bad men had her. The police didn't even believe him about the robbery, they certainly wouldn't believe him about a kidnapping.

"Why's that kiddo," the woman siad softly resting her hand on his knee. He pushed it away with his hand.

"Look lady, can you just call the sosh-ummm-social work lady here? I heard you talkin' about her. If she can get me away from here, then I'll be okay."

The woman looked at him blankly, and for the first time that day Zaya actually grinned.

---------------

"I'm going down to the corner store to grab some smokes, I'll be back soon."

"Father?"

"Yes, son?"

"I really...I really don't remember anything."

"I know."

Gabriel smiled nervously as his father ruffled his head. He hadn't shown that kind of affection in years. After his father closed the door after him he wondered again about the whole ordeal. His mother had insisted on going over the story again, but it had only proved frustrating to them both. Finally she sighed and told him that he had probably blocked out all the painful memories, and that if God wanted it that way it would stay so.

Gabriel went up to his room, and began working on a clock that he had taken home with him. It was a simple thing really, nothing that a few minor tools couldn't fix. He worked on a desk that his father had bought him when he had just gotten into highschool. As he became more involved in his father's shop he brought more and more tools home with him. Screwdrivers, tweezers, springs, oil, all of it had been neatly placed into his desk. The clock he was working on was ticking about five seconds too slow, hardly noticeable, but something that needed fixing all the same. Magnifying glasses placed over his glasses helped him see better, and he noted that a little oil would help the cogs move more easily. He reached into his drawer and let his hands roll around searching, he brushed against tools, but also felt a piece of paper. He lifted it out and saw that it was a drawing. It was a drawing of him. He couldn't remember when he had gotten it, but it looked rather worn. The sides were slightly torn, and the paper was a little crinkly, but there was no mistaking that a younger version of him was on the paper. There was also a woman and a girl, he sighed and without even realizing it began to thumb the image of the girl carefully. There was something about her, something important right on the edge of his brain...

He yawned tiredly and glanced at the clock sitting on table near his bed. It was already 10:00. Another yawn tugged his jaw open and he decided to set aside his work for later. He glanced again at the picture, sure that he was missing something, but he folded it and put it in the drawer anyway. He simply wasn't going to figure it out tonight.

------------------

Tehya wolfed down another spoonful of grits, and couldn't even begin to hold down the grisly belch that blew past her lips. Claude looked up from his plate and glared at her.

"That is bloody disgustin'."

"Sorry."

"Yes, well- just try to a bit more ladylike, eh?"

Tehya grinned as she speared her eggs with a fork. "Right."

"I guess I should just count myself lucky that you're usin' a fork."

"Ah, see? A bright side."

Claude chuckled and took a bite of toast. After she had gotten over the initial shock of being taken into his home Tehya proved to be quite unique. She was vibrant, determined, and had a wicked sense of humor. They had only been together a few hours, but he already knew that he was not going to turn her back over to the Company. He couldn't. She may have hurt and killed several of the agents, but after what they had done to her family, it was no wonder she had lost control. Watching her eat it was evident that that was not the kind of person that she was. Every once in awhile he could see guilt and fear leap to her eyes, but then she would collect herself. She was trying to be strong, and not let her powers get away from her again.

"So, after this we're gonna train you. Teach you to use that ability of yours."

Tehya looked up from her plate nervously.

"I know...I know that I have to use it, but...I'm afraid of it. Sometimes it slips out of me and does things that I'd never do. It scares me how outta control I get."

"Exactly, which is why I'm gonna teach you how."

"You really think you can do that,"Tehya murmured as she glanced down at her plate.

"Of course, I'm the help you've been lookin' for."

"I thought Noah was that y'know? I mean, he really helped me out, and back at the Company, I was hoping that he'd understand..."

"Tehya, he's a good man, s'just he's a Company's man first."

"Then he's not a good man!"

"Don't write him off just yet."

"Fine."

"Alright you done there."

Tehya thumped her chest and burped once more, before glancing up at a mildly irritated yet amused Claude.

"These things can't be helped ya know."

"Right."

----------------

"A'right good, now use that energy to strengthen the blow! Wrap it around your arm and nothin' else!"

Tehya looked down at her arms and willed the energy to wrap around it like a cocoon. She could see the energy jumping to her command. She nodded at Claude.

"Alright, now see this brick here, I want you to slice down the middle,break the energy down of the brick in a straight line. Don't let it get away from you."

They were on the roof of the flat, which Claude had turned into a greenhouse, and so far Tehya had succeeded in learning in some of the basics of damage control. It was evident that she had a great handle on her powers, but when it came to controlling the exact direction of its flow it was clear that she was lacking. She always seemed to be grabbing at too much, and in the end all the power put a strain on her.

"Okay! Hyaah!" The brick cleaved in an even to blocks. She sent the remaining energy back to the plant that she had borrowed it from, and the crinkly brown hue began to immediately lighten to a healthy green color. Claude nodded at Tehya with an approving smile. He had been teaching her to always put away excess energy. They had gone over many of the times when she had used it and she had passed out. After listening to her explain he realized that taking on too much was what was causing the blackouts. If she could push off or use the excess energy she would be able to cause more damage. He had mentioned that although her nearly leveling the Company had been quite grand, she could have done a lot more damage.

"Alright good, good now let's control that temper."

"I do not have a temper!"

"Ah, but you do, and it makes you sloppy. If I were to talk about dear old mum and dad-"

"You're not _going_ to talk about them!"

"And what if I do, what then?"

"Shutup!"

"Ah, a little sensitive I see. Was it mum and dad who raised you like that?"

"That's it!"

"Ah, see look!"

Claude gestured with at the plants surrounding him. Tehya frowned, they had been very delicious looking tomatoes, too.

"Oops."

"Oops? My dear, you decimated my tomatoes! Now imagine if this were an actual fight, you've already lost control! You can't let your powers run away with you, you control _them_ not the other way around."

"So, I guess I've got a little more to work on then don't I," Tehya said a small frown on her lips.

"Hey," Cluade said approaching her, throwing an arm over her shoulder," you will get there."

"Yeah, I know, but I'm worried about Zaya."

"Don't worry I'm makin' arrangements for the two of you."

"I trust you, you know, so don't mess up!"

"Ha! As if I'd give you the satisfaction," Claude said as he beamed down at her. Tehya smiled and Claude could see that she would get through this just fine.

----------------

Zaya wasn't quite sure where he was being taken. The social worker, Ms. Roy had come for him, and said that for now he was going to be put in a group home. He had no idea what that was, but apparently there were "a lot of kids your age" and "people like yourself". He guessed that either there were people with powers there or people there who had lost their parents. He knew that there was no family that he could be taken to, at least none nearby who would be willing. His dad had said that he had family down in Florida, but they didn't like mom. His father had said that it was because of her family background, whatever that was, and that it wasn't up to their standard. Zaya remembered asking why it mattered as long as you loved somebody, and his dad had replied that it shouldn't matter.

Zaya also thought of his mother's family. She had told him that they all lived in the Caribbean, in a small country called Trinidad and Tobago. Zaya remembered the smile on her lips as she told him of the ocean, how it glittered and sparkled, how the reefs were all colors of the rainbow. She recounted her siblings' adventures all over the country, how they caught turtles, the bonfires, the carnivals they went to. When she told her stories Zaya could tell that her heart was in a different place. Zaya remembered asking her why she had come to America if she loved her home so much, and she had simply said that love brought her here, and she wouldn't have changed her mind for anything.

"So how long before we get to the group place?"

"An hour maybe less if traffic's good."

"And Tehya when will I get to see her?"

"The police are still looking for her, but when they find her I'm sure they'll find a good home for her."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"Well...you see sometimes family can only afford to keep a few children at a time an-"

"We're not gonna be together?"

"Well, sweety-"

"I'm not going to let you keep me there you know. I'll run away."

"Sweet-"

"I'm not a sweety, and I'm not gonna let you keep me from Tehya! You can take me there, but I won't stay!"

Zaya crossed his arms and glared at Ms. Roy through the rearview mirror. Ms. Roy knew that this boy was not like the others she had taken. He was determined, and she got the feeling that he was dead serious about running away.

A/N Alright so a few more chapters and we'll be done with this fic. I'm still debating on what to call the next part of the story when Gabe and Tehya are older. Suggestions would be nice. Anyway as always read and review!


	26. Make a Break

I don't own Gabriel Gray, hmmm but I think there are ways that I could attain the sexy devil that plays him. PM if you know of a decent kidnapper ;) Oh yeah and Heroes belongs to Tim Kring, lucky bastard!

"Alright well your brother is going to be taken to a place in Queen's."

"Queen's? Well that's not too far."

"No, s'not but you've got to remember the Company will be after 'im too."

"Right. So when do we leave?"

"Now hold it right there missy. You've not even gotten your new identity yet."

"New identity?"

"Wot, you think the Company won't be lookin' for Tehya Harper?"

"I never...never thought I'd have to change my name."

"Wake up Tehya! You have to _run_! Now this envelope here is your and your brother's identity, money, passport, what have you."

"Claude...I can't do this. I'm sixteen years old, I can't just...disappear!"

"Tehya, I know this is a lot, but you _have _to do this. If you don't you can say goodbye to your freedom."

"But **I**'**m scared**."

Claude looked down at Tehya. He knew that she was facing things that she should not have to face at her age. She was sixteen, should have been dating, studying for tests, getting her first job, not this. She was about to travel down a road where she would never be a teenager again. She would have to look over shoulder all the time, ready to pick and up and leave at a moment's notice, probably for the rest of her life. Claude rested his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Bright green and intelligent, but still scared. He wasn't used to handling children, not used to comforting them, but he was certainly going to try his best for her.

"Look, I know that you're scared, but that's a good thing. You have to be the one that's on the lookout, you 'ave to watch out for the Company. I know that you think you're not ready for this, but I've seen you in action, you'll be brilliant."

"Aww, quit it old man you're makin' me blush."

"Old man? Hey how bloody old do you think I am anyway?!?"

"I dunno you look as old as my da-" Teyha's mouth clamped shut at the words. It was an accidental slip of the mouth. She had almost forgotten.

"Hey, you'll come visit us right?"

"I...just look at these as our our last days."

Claude was surprised when Tehya caught him in a tight hug. For a moment he wasn't sure what to make of it, but finally he hugged her back. He wouldn't tell her that he would try to visit, that he would try to check in on them as often as he could because he didn't want to get her hopes up or his. He pulled away and gave her a solid pat on the shoulder.

"Alright then go ahead open the envelope."

Tehya opened it up and reached inside. She felt the hard plastic cover of what she was sure was a passport. She pulled it out and opened it. Inside was a picture of her, she didn't remember taking it and was positive it was a doctored photo.

"Aida Taylor? Eighteen?"

"It's the only way you can keep Zaya. Besides I thought Aida sounded similar to Tehya."

"It does, and thanks for everything."

"Don't thank me just yet there is still a matter of getting your brother."

"Hey between me 'n you, I think we can handle it."

Claude couldn't help but grin down at the young girl. He was glad that he hadn't said a word to the Company, bars and cages simply were not for her.

---------------

Zaya wasn't sure what to make of the Harris family. They were a nice family he could tell, but he didn't want to stay. The night that he had arrived they had already had a bed set up for him. They hadn't bought clothes yet because they weren't sure what size he was, but they said they planned on taking him shopping soon. Zaya felt a little guilty at that because he knew that either he was going to run away or Tehya would come for him. He wasn't sure which would happen first, but he only planned on staying for about another week. His mother had always said make a plan and stick with it. His plan was stay here seven more days, grab his things, and head for...well he wasn't sure, but he knew that the people that took Tehya would probably come here soon. They had been with the police, had _been_the robbers, what was to stop them from being a social worker or even the Harrises?

"Hey Zaya dinner's ready!" Zaya jumped at the sound. He had been drawing at the little desk they had set up for him. There wasn't much else to do. He put down the crayons and headed downstairs. He took a long whiff and knew that it was steak. He felt his mouth water a little, and his stomach grumbled a bit in anticipation. The home was almost like the one that he lived in. It was two stories, and had all the rooms like kitchen, living room, dining room, downstairs. As he came down the stairs he could already see the dining room and the Harris family sitting down. There was a mother, a father, and a boy a little older than him. The boy was named Jamie and it was clear that if they had met under different circumstances they would have been as close as brothers.

"Hey, Zaya," Mr. Harris said genially. He motioned to a table next to Jamie and Zaya sat down nervously. He had never eaten dinner at someone's else's house. He wasn't old enough for sleepovers and his parents usually picked him up from his friend's house before it started.

"Umm, hi."

"So, how do you like it here so far?"

"It's good I guess," Zaya said as he looked down at his plate.

Mrs. Harris, smiled softly, sadness clearly in her eyes. "If you'd like you can eat upstairs or in the living room. I know the past few days have been hard for you."

"Thank you Mrs. Harris."

"Oh no it's alright, and you can call me Nina it's alright."

"S'okay . I'm...my mom always told that grownups had to be called by their last names. It was a sign of 'spect."

"Aww, your mother must have been a great person."

"Yeah, she was, the best. Can...can I eat upstairs now?"

"Sure honey it's fine with us."

"Thank you."

Zaya grabbed his plate and utensils and made his way up the stairs. He didn't think he'd able to eat now, though. His stomach was twisted in knots, and he didn't think he'd be able to get a bite of food past his lips.

-------------

"Oh Gabriel, we have to get everything ready for your father! Hurry with the dishes!"

"Mom-"

"Gabriel, don't just stand there looking at me, help me!"

"Mom-"

"Son, you know he likes dinner at seven and he-"

"Mom!" Gabriel said a little louder as he gripped her shoulders firmly. She stopped and looked at him her eyes wide and frenzied. Tears were only a thought away, and Gabriel knew that he would have to bring reality over her.

"Mom," he said more gently,"it's been almost a week. If he was-if he was going to come back, he would have already."

"Don't say that about your father!"

"Mom, he always calls if he's going to be late. A week mom, a week and...nothing. Not even a phone call."

"When did you get so tall, " his mother quipped as she tried to laugh," oh, Gabriel."

Gabriel wrapped him arms around his mother and held her as she cried. He remembered doing this once, he thought to himself, but it wasn't for her. His brain thought of a brilliant green, of sunlight, a smile, but then it faded and he cursed himself for letting his mind wander.

------------------

"Alright so let's go over the plan again."

"Clauuuude," Tehya said irritably," this will be the thousandth time we've gone over this."

"Well let's make it an even thousand then."

"Okay, fine. First I use my energy, feel the house out see how many people, if they have any special abilities, their moods, that kind of things, then I tell you. Second, I sense out Zaya, pump him full of energy so he knows to look out for me. Third I knock out the people in the house. Fourth you and I go all invisible-like and break into the house. Fifth we grab my brother and we ditch."

"Good, but you're forgetting one thing."

"Right, if we see anything suspicious, anything at all I knock everyone out."

"Good. Now let's just hope nothing goes wrong."

"Yeah, I don't want to hurt anymore people."

"I know, but you realize that it may come to that, don't you?"

"I know but who _wants_ to hurt people? I just want in, out, and away."

"I know you do, kid, but things don't always work that way."

"Yeah...so how far away from the house are we?"

"About thirty minutes, but we'll go in around 8:30 or so."

"I can dig it."

"I'm sure now try to get some rest, we've a long night ahead of us."

-----------------

Zaya had already gotten his clothes together. He had his shoes on, and looking sadly at the food he realized that was a lost cause too. This was the third time that he had packed, he kept unpacking again, trying to decided whether he should stick to the plan or just leave. He was afraid that he would end up wanting to stay in the end. The way that Nina had spoken to him, it was the way his mother had used to. He wanted to go home, but honestly there would no one there, nothing to make it home. He could have a _brother_if he stayed here, he could belong somewhere. He thought of just a few days ago when he had had Gabriel for a brother. While they were looking for Tehya it was obvious that they had a bond. Gabriel wasn't afraid of his powers or what he could do. Gabriel had helped him fine tune his powers so that they could use them at the convenient store. Gabriel looked at his powers and it was if he had known how they had worked from the very beginning. Three days after the training they decided to put on their show at the convenient store. Zaya got his parents to drive him and Gabriel to the convenient store, and when Gabriel had said they would walk back, they insisted that they would tag along. Zaya tugged on Gabriel's sleeves then, and pleaded that they do it then, so that he wouldn't have to lie to his parents anymore, and reluctantly Gabriel agreed. They both figured that if they did it in a public place they would be able to distract the mind taking man and hopefully have a one on one conversation with the other man that had been following him. They would have been able to cut a deal and Tehya would have been home safely. It hadn't worked that way at all. Instead two men, rushed in guns blazing.

He remembered Gabriel pushing him down to the ground, and then he heard the sound he would come to hate.

The sounds of gunshots.

Hiding in the candy aisle, he couldn't see his parents, but that sweet copper smell, the blood trailing forward so he could see it...he knew it was them. He started to shriek wildly, struggling against Gabriel, but Gabriel wouldn't let go.

"Zaya," he whispered, "stay with me or they'll kill us both."

"Mommy...daddy," he sobbed as he clutched Gabriel's arm tightly.

"It's okay alright...you've still got me, your big brother. I won't let anything happen to you."

But it wasn't meant to be. One of the gunman walked and spotted them crouched beside the candy. Zaya struggled to make a shield, but he was so nervous. He managed one, but he couldn't make one for him and Gabriel that would last long. It shorted out and then the man removed a glove from one of his hands.

"Run Gabriel! It's the mind taking man! Gabriel!"

Gabriel scrambled back and tried to get away but then another man cornered them from the rear.

"Zaya, either we shoot him or he loses him memory you choose."

Gabriel looked from the second gunman to the first, and then back to Zaya.

"It'll be fine okay."

"No! No! You can't do that!"

"It's okay Zaya."

"But..."

"It'll be fine, just tell your sister that I love her very much. Can you do that?"

"Uh huh, I can...I can do that. Gabriel?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

"What are brothers for?"

Zaya sniffled and then nodded at the man with his glove removed. He watched as the man passed a hand over Gabriel's face. He saw as Gabriel shuddered a bit, and he couldn't help but sob loudly as a blank look entered Gabriel's eyes. The other man quickly knocked Gabriel out and proceeded to reach for him, but was stopped short when sirens sounded outside. The gunman pulled his hand back and nodded to his partner. It was strange. They dropped their weapons and turned themselves in. Zaya peered out and closed his eyes when he saw the two people lying on the floor. He tried to burn the images away and forget, but he couldn't. The police found him there curled up against Gabriel and crying loudly.

And now he he had to decide what to do next. He didn't want anything bad to happen.

And then he felt it, felt her. He felt a huge rush of energy overtake him. He felt like he could fly, like a cloud, and he felt her love wrapping around him like the warmest blanket. He smiled and looked down at his things that he already clutched tightly. He ran to the window and waved. He couldn't see her, but he still wanted to let her know that he was waiting for her.

A/N Okay guys the end chapter is nigh. It's either going to be the next one or the one after that, but really only two more chapters tops. It's definitely been a blast writing this story, and getting all these fantastic reviews. I hope that you enjoy the next one as much! Also the reason that the robbers turned themselves in is because there were policemen that were also working for the Company, not because they have a moral obligation to do the right thing.


	27. Made to Run

Aha so this fic is mine as are Tehya and Zaya, but Gabriel, his mother, and his father, all belong to Tim Kring the mastermind behind heroes. Hope you guys enjoy the last chapter of the fic!

She could hear his footsteps as he bounded down the stairs. The squeal of his sneakers thumped and slid across the hallway, and it was within moments that he opened the door. As he did she couldn't help but remember when he had first been born. He had been so small, only six pounds, and he kept licking his small pink lips. As soon as her mother put him in her arms she knew that she would love and cherish him forever. Little wisps of brown and blonde locks graced his head, and his hazel eyes were barely open. She had felt his energy, vibrant and colorful and so open to everything. She knew that she would protect him, that he was similar to Gabriel in the sense that she loved him completely.

"I missed you!"

"Me too Tehya!"

She wrapped him in a tight hug, tears pattering softly into his hair. She was so relieved that she was with him again, so relieved that she could still have him in her life. Before she had opened the door there had been a possibility that she wouldn't get to hold him again, and now she never had to let him go. She kissed his forehead as she pulled away. She held him at shoulder's length and looked him over. His face was tear streaked, his smile was brilliant, and made her heart lurch just because she knew that smile was all for her. He was dressed, a small jacket, overalls, and his lightup sneakers, he had a bookbag slung over his shoulder.

"Knew you were comin' so I got ready."

"Always knew you were smart."

Tehya ruffled his hair fondly, and then turned to Claude. He stood a few feet away giving them their privacy, but at the same time watching over them. He waved them over and the two of them jogged over. Claude noticed that there was now a radiant smile plastered over both their faces. Tehya's eyes sparkled happily as she held her brother's hand. He briefly wondered how the company he had worked so hard for could even consider tearing apart two children who clearly lived for each other.

"Alright, now-"

Tehya looked around warily sensing that they were no longer alone. She also sensed the familiar energy of the man who had drained her back at the Company. She knew that if she let him get too close she wouldn't be able to use her powers. She turned to Claude.

"We have to get invisible and run!"

"We could do that, but then we wouldn't get away fast enough! Use that power of yours!'

Tehya looked around. She decided quickly and tugged her brother after her. She could already here the people behind her racing to apprehend her and her brother. She turned to Claude.

"Toss me the keys!"

"You can drive?!?!"

"Permit!"

Claude growled at this as he snatched Zaya out of her hands. They raced in as Tehya opened the door. She undid the locks and started the car. She began to snatch the energy from the surrounding area, the freshly mown grass, the trees, the animals that were sleeping nearby, and she began to juice the car. She wasn't sure of the exact mechanics that ran it, but she was certain that with extra power she could make it run faster. She closed her eyes and tried stretching her ability, connecting herself to the car. She could feel the tug of the man whose power could overcome her own. She could feel the poisonous energy roll over her and she struggled against it. She tried to feed off the neighboring agents, but they were keeping a respectful distance this time, they knew what she was capable of.

"I can't-get anything, there's someone blocking my powers!"

"Shit, the Haitian," Claude cursed.

"Don't worry Tehya I got it!" Zaya began to make his shield around the car, blocking them all from the Haitian's ability. As Zaya worked Tehya could feel her power slowly return to her. She started the car and began to feed it energy. She squealed away from the curb and ripped down the street past the agents. Finally she felt Zaya's shield release and heard him sigh softly in the back. She glanced back in the rearview mirror.

"Hey, you alright?"

"Yeah, just the person tryin' to take your power was strong."

"Yeah, I can't do anything with him around."

Claude looked at them both, he could see the sweat dotted on their faces, the fear that they were keeping reigned in. He looked at the speedometer and saw that they were going over a hundred miles and climbing.

" 'Ere Tehya, we're going to get pulled over by a bloody police officer if you don't slow down!"

"Okay! Okay! Lemme just-"

Tehya took a deep breath, struggling to collect herself. She slowly sent the energy out towards the people nearby, towards the trees that managed to grow on the dirty sidewalks. She sent it out until she had only her own power and the car had slowed to an even paced forty-five miles an hour. She looked back at her brother briefly and they smiled softly to each other. They were going to escape. They were going to make it. Nothing could stop them now that they had made it this far.

"You alright then Tehya?"

"Yeah, sorry for losin' it, I just-you know..."

"S'alright kid, you're sixteen, you've never had to face anythin' like this."

"No. Doesn't matter. Besides I'm eighteen, and eighteen year olds are mature."

"Tehya..."

"No, your right, I have to get my head on straight. It's just me 'n Zaya now, and I can't be weak," Tehya chuckled bitterly and Claude winced at the harshness of her laugh," I thought I was finally free. I thought that if Gabriel knew...and he still loved me everything would turn out fine, but nothing did. In two weeks...only two weeks I lost everything, and it wasn't even my fault. I just...I just wanted-wanted to understand what I was." A tear rolled down Tehya's cheek, but she wiped it away fiercely. She was going to have to be someone else again, be stronger and smarter, and get her and her brother to safety. There was no more room for tears.

-------------

Gabriel stood outside of his mother's bedroom. The day had not gone well. For an entire week he had watched his mother already unsteady character break down even further. His father had abandoned them both, lied and said he was going for smokes, and now here _he_ was picking up the pieces. He didn't even know where to begin, he was a watchmaker's son. He understood cogs and wheels, screwdrivers and screws, not a husband leaving his wife and abandoning his only son. He was only sixteen, how was he going to take care of her? He wished he knew what to say to her, but he didn't know what would sound good, make it right. Maybe nothing would ever be right, maybe it would always be like this. He briefly thought of the boy who no longer had parents, wondered how he would fare. Maybe they would both struggle for the rest of their lives.

Maybe they were both doomed.

Gabriel left the door without knocking, he decided to fix the watch he had left upstairs. Maybe tomorrow he would buy his mother something nice with the money he had saved, something pretty. He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, a flash of green, a clever smile, but he firmly shook the thought away. There was certainly time for that _now_.

A/N Alright guys thanks for all of you stuck with me through this fic. It was fun to write, and definitely fun entertaining you guys. I know this ended on a sad note, but the sequel is coming soon, and you'll have that to look forward too.

If any of you had any questions about anything that happened in the fic, leave a comment or pm me. Umm…what else? Oh yeah! Read and review, Jokerfest loves the feedback!


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